I PARKED AND SECURED MY 1995 FORD F-150 AND WENT TO WORK. APPROXIMATELY 15 MINUTES LATER A FIRE STARTED IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE. THE SECURITY AND FIRE DEPARTMENT OF MY PLACE OF EMPLOYMENT RESPONDED QUICKLY (FIFTEEN MINUTES OR LESS) AND EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE. THEY BROKE THE DRIVER SIDE WINDOW IN AN EFFORT TO GAIN ACCESS BUT THE HOOD LATCH CABLE HAD ALREADY BEEN DISABLED BY THE FIRE SO ACCESS WAS GAINED BY PRYING OPEN THE HOOD. EVERYTHING ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE OF THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT WAS RUINED. THE FIREMAN AT THE SCENE POINTED OUT THE CRUISE CONTROL DEACTIVATION SWITCH AS THE PROBABLE CAUSE OF THE FIRE. MY INSURANCE AGENT (USAA) HAS NOT AS OF YET GOTTEN BACK WITH ME AS TO THE ESTIMATED EXTENT OF THE DAMAGES BUT CONSIDERING THE EXTENSIVE ELECTRICAL AND OTHER DAMAGE IT IS MY PREDICTION THAT THE TRUCK WILL BE CONSIDERED AS A TOTAL LOSS. FORD KNOWS OF THIS POTENTIAL PROBLEM AND HAS NOT IN MY OPINION TAKEN APPROPRIATE ACTION THROUGH RECALLS.*JB