I WENT TO A HARDWARE STORE AND PARKED THE CAR IN THE STORE PARKING LOT. ABOUT 10 MINUTES LATER SOMEBODY CAME IN AND ASKED ME IF I WAS DRIVING A SILVER MERCEDES; I TOLD HIM YES AND HE TOLD ME THAT IT WAS ON FIRE. WHEN I GOT OUT OF THE STORE I SAW MY CAR'S ENGINE COMPARTMENT ON FIRE. BY THE TIME THE FIRE DEPARTMENT ARRIVED ON THE SCENE THE WHOLE ENGINE COMPARTMENT HAD BEEN GUTTED AND THE FIRE HAD SPREAD TO ANOTHER CAR WHICH WAS PARKED INFRONT OF MINE.