Ambulance catches fire on I-40 en route to Triangle

Fire officials said the ambulance was transporting a patient to Durham when the crew noticed a fire in the engine compartment of the vehicle.

Once they noticed the fire, the crew stopped, got the patient out of the vehicle and stopped traffic with the help of bystanders, according to officials.

A private ambulance nearby noticed the situation and stopped to help the patient.

Lauren Paschal was driving on I-40 when she noticed something strange.

"I had no ideas if there were people inside. That's what I was thinking, 'I hope to God no one is in there,'" recalled Paschall.

She said as soon as she saw the smoke and flames, she grabbed her phone to capture the moment.

"I thought it was a car on fire and the ambulance was there to help," she added.

Paschal said the heat from the fire was so intense that she felt it inside her car.

"All of a sudden, I felt the heat - like poof - my arms, hands and my legs," said Paschal. "My hairs stood up. I couldn't do anything. I couldn't say anything. I was just like, 'Wow.'"

The heat was so intense, Paschal said she thought her car was damaged.

"It looks great, but I was like, 'Oh my God, there has to be damage.' But, there wasn't so I'm very thankful," she said.

No one was injured in the fire.

The patient was safely transported to Durham with no injuries.

The cause of the fire remained under investigation.