OWNER HAD ARRIVED HOME AT 7:00 P.M. FROM WORK AND WAS INSIDE HIS RESIDENCE. AT 10:00 P.M. POLICE AND FIRE PERSONNEL CAME TO HIS DOOR TO INFORM HIM THAT HIS CAR WAS ON FIRE. ONE RESIDENT SAID THAT, AS HE WAS WALKING IN THE PARKING LOT, HE NOTICED THERE WAS FIRE IN THE PASSENGER SIDE REAR TAIL LIGHT (AROUND 10:00 PM) AND WHEN HE LOOKED INSIDE, THERE WAS FIRE IN THE VEHICLE DIRECTLY BEHIND THE REAR TAIL LIGHT. HE RAN FOR A FIRE EXTINGUISHER AND ALSO YELLED FOR HELP AND FOR SOMEONE TO CALL 911 FOR THE FIRE DEPARTMENT. BOTH FIRE AND POLICE ARRIVED. CAR HAD NOT BEEN DRIVEN FOR 3 HOURS AND WAS PARKED, WAS DRIVEN ONLY 7 MILES THREE HOURS EARLIER WITH NO STOPS. CAR HAS BEEN CONSIDERED TOTALED BY INSURANCE DUE TO THE AMOUNT OF DAMAGE INCURRED AND HAD BEEN OWNED FOR ONLY ONE YEAR, SERVICED REGULARLY BY MERCEDES BENZ, AND ALL RECALLS HAD BEEN UP-TO-DATE! THE SERVICING MERCEDES DEALERSHIP PROMPTLY INFORMED MERCEDES BENZ USA WHO ALSO PROMPTLY CONTACTED THE OWNER TO FILL OUT THE APPROPRIATE PAPERWORK AND SUBMIT PICTURES FOR REVIEW. THIS PAPERWORK/PICTURES WERE ALSO PROMPTLY SUBMITTED. HOWEVER, DUE TO THE SERIOUSNESS OF THIS FIRE AND POSSIBLE LOSS OF LIFE AND PROPERTY THAT COULD HAVE BEEN CATASTROPHIC, THIS REPORT IS ALSO BEING SENT TO YOUR AGENCY FOR FOLLOW-UP. (NOTE THAT THERE WAS A RECALL ON THE TAIL LIGHTS IN THE ML350 FOR POSSIBLE FIRE FOR 2007 AND YEARS ABOVE, BUT NOT THE YEAR OF THIS VEHICLE, 2006. A SIMILAR PROBLEM IS REPORTED IN THE C-CLASS AUTOMOBILES AND MAY BE