Video: Dodge Durango catches fire during D.C. Cherry Blossom Parade while on float-pulling duty

2011 Dodge Durango Citadel catches fire during D.C. parade – Click above to watch the video

Call us partypoopers, but we're not all that big on parades. There's something about standing around only to see a bunch of floats passing by you that doesn't sound all that appealing. Now if said parade included a little unexpected action, we might be more inclined to enjoy ourselves, but we're not so sure the onlookers at the Washington D.C. Cherry Blossom Parade would agree with us.

After the jump is video of a spanking-new 2011 Dodge Durango Citadel as it sat in the middle of the parade route, spouting flames from the hood. A local NBC affiliate reports that the newly designed SUV began to spew black smoke while towing a float on the parade route. After the hood was propped up the black smoke turned into a full-on car-b-que that engulfed the engine bay in flames. The local fire department, which was likely already participating in the parade, later came and doused the blaze, but the incident prolonged the parade by about 15 minutes.

Hit the jump to watch the flaming Durango. We don't know how much the float it was reportedly towing towing weighed, and we also don't know which engine this Durango has under the hood. On the bright side, we didn't even know that the Durango apparently has a self-closing hood in the event of a fire. At the same time, whether it's operator error or a defect with the vehicle, having a brand-new SUV burst into flames in such a public way has to have Dodge reaching for the Mylanta. Either way, points to the band for continuing to play on! Thanks to all for the tips.