AT APPROXIMATELY 1:54 PM I WAS LEAVING WORK AND I DIDN'T GET ABOUT 1,000 FEET WHEN I BEGAN TO SEE SMOKE COMING FROM THE CENTER CONSOLE AREA WHERE THE CIGARETTE LIGHTER WAS. I PULLED OVER INTO A GAS STATION AND TOOK THE CUP HOLDERS OUT TRYING TO SEARCH WHERE THE SMOKE WAS COMING FROM. I THEN SAW SMOKE COMING FROM THE VENTS ON THE DASHBOARD. I ALSO SAW SMOKE COMING FROM THE BATTERY COMPARTMENT UNDER THE HOOD. I OPENED THE HOOD AND MORE SMOKE WITH COMING FROM THE VENT. I OPENED THE PASSENGER SIDE DOOR AND SAW THAT BEHIND THE CENTER CONSOLE JUST UNDER THE CD PLAY, THE WIRES WERE ON FIRE AND THE FIRE CONTINUED TO BECOME LARGER. I CALLED THE FIRE DEPARTMENT AT 1:56 PM AND AGAIN AT 1:59 PM WHEN THEY ARRIVED AND THE ENTIRE DASHBOARD WAS BURNING. THE VEHICLE'S DASHBOARD WAS COMPLETELY MELTED ALONG WITH THE CONTROLS ABOVE BY THE SUNROOF. THE VEHICLE IS A COMPLETE LOSS. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN PARKED AT MY JOB FOR MORE THAN 6 HOURS BEFORE I TOOK IT TO GO HOME. I SUSTAINED SMOKE INHALATION AND HEAT BURNS ON MY FACE. I WAS TRANSPORTED TO THE LOCAL HOSPITAL, TREATED AND RELEASE. *TR