LEFT FOR WORK ON THIS DAY IN THE USUAL MANNER. TURNED ONTO US 19 FROM US 64. AS I ACCELERATED FROM THE STOPLIGHT THE TRUCK BACKFIRED OUT OF THE EXHAUST, I SHIFTED GEARS AND IT BACKFIRED AGAIN, THIS TIME THE "CHECK ENGINE LIGHT" CAME ON. I LOOKED TO THE PASSENGER SIDE OUTSIDE MIRROR AND SAW SMOKE COMING FROM UNDER THE TRUCK. I PULLED OVER AND JUMPED OUT. WHEN I STOPPED THE SMOKE BILLOWED OUT FROM UNDER THE HOOD. I CALLED 911 TO REPORT THE FIRE. BY THE TIME THE FIRETRUCKS GOT THERE THE ENTIRE MOTOR COMPARTMENT AND PASSENGER COMPARTMENT WERE BLAZING. *TR