Volkswagen van that survived Palisades fire in Los Angeles is a 'beacon of hope'

[erronis]

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/jan/14/volkswagen-van-palisades-fire

Preston Martin figured the retro blue Volkswagen van he slept in for a year during college was a goner, given that he had parked it in a Malibu neighborhood just before the Palisades fire ripped through, reducing homes and cars to rubble and charred metal.

So the surfboard maker was stunned to find that the vehicle had survived. Not only that, a photo of the vibrant bus taken by an Associated Press photographer was circulating widely on television and online, giving viewers a measure of joy.

“There is magic in that van,” Martin, 24, said Tuesday in an interview with AP. “It makes no sense why this happened. It should have been toasted, but here we are.”

Martin purchased the 1977 Volkswagen Type 2 somewhat on a whim sometime around his junior year studying mechanical engineering at the University of California, Santa Barbara.

...

[RedWhiteBlueIsRacist]

1. Cool story.

[mercuryblues]

2. That is more of a miracle

than the Virgin Mary statue, made from concrete not burning.

[Disaffected]

3. In close proximity to raging fire in all directions and appears to be not even scorched?

Seems unlikely...

[erronis]

7. Does seem a bit on the unrealistic side. Skepticism is always merited!

[Disaffected]

10. Indeed it is.

Especially in this age of ubiquitous lies, disinformation and FUD.

[DBoon]

4. There is a God ...

... and He surfs!

[thebigidea]

5. Oh yeah look at all the hope it shines on the surrounding area.

How insipid.

[madaboutharry]

6. Hmmm....

It looks like it just came from the car wash. I admit that I am somewhat cynical, but I am having a hard time with the veracity of this story.

[erronis]

8. Ok - OP here and agree with your sentiments.

[chowder66]

11. It's possible that a) firefighters were there and used hoses around it and on it to keep it from burning

or came around later dousing hot spots and hit the van with water b) a water drop was done over the bus c) the fire was moving parallel to the bus with the high winds.

Just throwing some ideas out there on how that could happen...but maybe it's a hoax.

[KewlKat]

9. With all the heat from the fire, funny the tires didn't melt or ignite

[electric_blue68]

12. I remember a story where this pretty big several story housing complex exploded. I -think- there were warning signs....

so people got out safely.

As fire fighters went through the debris one found a perfectly intact little china tea cup. He took it, and gently placed it on a sturdy fence post with a flat top away from harm.

Haven't thought of that in a loooong time.

[BidenRocks]

13. Fire Bug

In the Palisades a man lost his house, but his VW Beetle was untouched in the driveway.
No Fords or Chevys.

[KS Toronado]

14. I'd like a closer up picture, esp of the other side

before I say miracle.