93 JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE CAR FIRE (5/7/2001; ABOUT 4:15 PM)I HAVE A STORY TO RELATE; HOPEFULLY THERE MIGHT BE SOMETHING TO LEARN FROM ITMY WIFE AND I WERE TRAVELING TO BWI TO DROP OFF OUR SON SO HE COULD CATCH A PLANE BACK TO CHICAGO. A FEW MILES BEFORE THE I-695 N EXIT, WE STARTED SMELLING A BURNT RUBBER OR PERHAPS EXHAUST TYPE OF SMELL. MY SON WAS DRIVING AND I SUGGESTED HE GET IN THE OUTSIDE LANE AND SLOW DOWN TO SEE OF THE SMELL GOT WORSE OR WENT AWAY. ALL THE ENGINE GAUGES READ FINE. AS WE WERE TRYING TO DECIDE WHAT TO DO, THE CAR SUDDENLY TOOK A COUPLE OF HARD JERKS AND THERE WAS A LOUD BANG. THE ENGINE WAS STILL RUNNING, BUT THE CAR WAS COMING TO A QUICK STOP. WE WERE IN THE OUTSIDE LANE, BUT RIGHT AT THE I-695 EXIT SO THERE WERE 2 MORE EXIT LANES ON OUR RIGHT. WE COULDN'T GET TO THE SHOULDER. THE CAR CAME TO STOP QUICKLY; IT DIDN'T APPEAR TO WANT TO COAST EVEN WHEN I SUGGESTED MY SON MOVE THE TRANSMISSION LEVER TO NEUTRAL. ALL OF A SUDDEN THERE WAS A LOT OF SMOKE COMING OUT FROM UNDER THE REAR OF THE CAR. AT FIRST I HESITATED TO GET OUT OF THE CAR FOR FEAR OF BEING HIT BY OTHER TRAFFIC AND WE COULDN'T SEE TO OUR REAR BECAUSE OF THE SMOKE. WHEN I REALIZED THERE WAS NO TRAFFIC COMING PAST US, I GOT OUT OF THE REAR SEAT AND LOOKED UNDER THE CAR; THERE WERE FLAMES. I YELLED AT MY WIFE AND SON TO GET OUT OF THE CAR AND WE ALL WENT ACROSS TO THE SHOULDER OF THE ROAD. THE JEEP BURNED TOTALLY. . LATER IN SPEAKING TO THE FIRE CAPTAIN, HE TOLD US THAT THE REAR DIFFERENTIAL OF T