Maroochydore Kombi van fire: Craig McConnell’s escape from blaze

A Sunshine Coast vintage car owner has says he feels “crushed” after watching his pride and joy burst into flames at a Sunshine Coast supermarket.

A vintage car owner has said he feels “crushed” after watching his pride and joy burst into flames at a Sunshine Coast supermarket.

Emergency services converged on Maroochydore Aldi at the corner of Parker St and Second Ave about 4pm on Tuesday to find a 1976 Volkswagen Kombi engulfed in fire.

Multiple fire crews extinguished the vehicle, which caught alight when it left the supermarket onto Parker St.

Smoke could be seen as far away as the Sunshine Mwy with fireys taking control of the blaze within a few minutes.

A Queensland Fire and Emergency spokesman said there were no injuries.

The car’s owner Craig McConnell stood back and watched on with dozens of bystanders as his project car was reduced to a charred wreck.

Craig McConnell's beloved kombi caught fire outside Maroochydore Aldi on April 30, 2024. Picture: @wiktortexas/Instagram

“I’ve been through worse, I’m crushed,” Mr McConnell said.

“It’s sunk in, it is what is it, you gotta be resilient.

“It’s just a car at the end of the day.”

The Kombi tragic said he bought the olive green vintage car in Melbourne and drove it to the sunshine state and had been restoring it for the past 15 years.

He said it had a new engine, clutch, brakes and gear box, and had restored it the way he wanted it.

Craig McConnell spoke to media after his beloved kombi caught fire outside Maroochydore Aldi on April 30, 2024. Picture: Sam Turner

Fireys took control of the blaze within minutes of their arrival.

Mr McConnell said he saw the smoke emanating from the back of his car and tried to put it out with his extinguisher but it unfortunately malfunctioned.

The Kombi owner likened the spread to a “flamethrower” and was forced to escape from his vehicle, losing one of his shoes in the process.

Mr McConnell believed the fire may have started from an oil leak which might have caught alight.

He said the car wasn’t insured for the value he put into restoring it.

“I’ve got a little seven-year-old we take camping every weekend, it was going to be his,” Mr McConnell said.

“Not being able to hand to hand it to him is a bit of a shame.”

Van fire on Second Ave, Maroochydore.

Mr McConnell said he had an affinity for the Volkswagen vehicles due to Kombis being his first and second car growing up, and would regularly adventure with them.

“This is where it ends I suppose,” he said.

When asked if he would get another car he said it was on the cards, but it probably would not be a Kombi.

The QFES spokesman said it was no longer investigating the fire and left it with the Queensland Police Service.

A police spokesman said initial information indicated the fire was not suspicious.

Originally published as Maroochydore Kombi van fire: Craig McConnell’s escape from blaze