Firefighters respond to multiple-car fire at Central High School in Cape Girardeau

The Cape Girardeau Fire Department responded to a blaze at Central High School, where three cars caught fire Thursday morning.

Two engine companies with a total of seven responders were called to the school about 10 a.m., battalion chief Brad Dillow said. He said the fire was under control within four to five minutes "at most."

The fire apparently started in a 1992 Ford Mustang and spread to a nearby 1998 Ford Taurus and a 1999 Ford F-150 pickup truck. The doors, windows and paint were damaged on both vehicles.

Firefighters contain a vehicle fire that started with one vehicle, a Ford Mustang, and spread to two other vehicles in the parking lot of Cape Central High School. The cause of the fire has not been determined.

A Ford pickup truck was damaged when a Ford Mustang caught fire Thursday morning in Central High School's parking lot.

"From official standpoint," Dillow said, "the cause is undetermined due to the heavy damage to the vehicle."

Dillow said it appeared the fire originated in the front passenger compartment around the dashboard area. He said the wind contributed to the fire spreading to the other vehicles.

The fire likely reached "well over" 500 to 600 degrees, Dillow said.

"It's not uncommon with vehicles parked that close together" to have flames spread to other cars, Dillow said. Wind out of the south straight into the Mustang gave the blaze oxygen and intensified it.

"It was definitely a substantial fire in there," Dillow said.

School resource officer Mark Wyatt said no one was injured, and the cars were unoccupied.