AT APPROXIMATELY 3:20 A.M. MY FAMILY AND I WOKE UP TO THE SOUND OF A CAR ALARM GOING OFF. EVERYONE IMMEDIATELY GOT UP TO WALK TOWARDS A WINDOW TO SEE WHAT WAS GOING ON. WE SAW OUR 1996 FORD TRUCK IN FLAMES FROM THE FRONT. IT WAS APPARENT THAT THE ENGINE PART WAS ON FIRE. WE IMMEDIATELY CALLED 9-1-1 BECAUSE THE FLAMES WERE SEVERAL FEET HIGH AND VERY CLOSE TO OUR FENCE AND WE WERE NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO TAKE IT OUT OURSELVES. IT LOOKED LIKE THE TRUCK WAS GOING TO EXPLODE ANY SECOND. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT AND POLICE DEPARTMENT SHOWED UP WITHIN MINUTES. THEY TOOK OUT THE FIRE AND PERFORMED AN INVESTIGATION OF THE VEHICLE. THEY INDICATED THE FIRE STARTED BECAUSE OF AN ELECTRICAL/MECHANICAL DEFECT AND IT STARTED AT THE BOTTOM OF THE TRUCK, BELOW THE ENGINE, AND REACHED ITS WAY TO THE TOP. IT HAD BEEN RAINING QUITE HARD DURING THIS INCIDENT. THE SAME DAY WE HAD COAST AUTO SUPPLIES PICK UP THE TRUCK BECAUSE IT COULDN'T BE LEFT WHERE IT WAS PARKED, IN A CITY STREET IN FRONT OUR HOME. REPORTS FROM THE FIRE AND POLICE DEPARTMENT SHOULD BE AVAILABLE SOON. *TR