Tourists' hire car bursts into flames 20 minutes after Heathrow pick-up

An American family who travelled to Britain for a summer holiday were lucky to escape injury when the Jeep they hired and picked up from Heathrow Airport burst into flames.

SEE ALSO: At least 13 people killed in bar fire in France

SEE ALSO: Lamborghini burnt to a crisp in fire outside luxury Dubai hotel

The tourists had rented the car to get around the UK for their week-long break and were on a busy road from the airport when it caught fire.

Speaking to the Evening Standard, PC Lou Roberts from Hounslow Police, said the holidaymakers had collected the Jeep from a car rental firm just 20 minutes before the blaze.

Officers arrived at the nearby A312 The Parkway, where the vehicle was on fire and the flames had spread to the footbridge.

Get West London reports that the officers checked that the family were ok and closed the road as firefighters put out the fire.

No injuries were reported.