Mercedes Benz a write-off after stray firework burns interior

Te Uku resident Claire Andrews says a stray firework has made a mess of her Mercedes sports car. Photo / Claire Andrews

A high-performance Mercedes Benz sports car has gone up in smoke after its interior was burnt out by a firework that fell through an open window on Guy Fawkes Day.

Claire Andrews said she had been left crying and shocked to suddenly discover her car "cooked" on the street in Kihikihi, south of Hamilton, on Monday night.

Owner Claire Andrews said police described the car as a write-off. Photo / Supplied

Andrews and her family had earlier enjoyed the Guy Fawkes festivities by setting off their own fireworks before relaxing in their backyard and sending the younger children to bed.

But a short time later, older children playing near an 8-foot fence that separated the house from the road where the car was parked suddenly shouted: "Aunty Claire, your car's on fire".

Andrews' first reaction was to jokingly scoff at them, "Oh, shut up".

But when they insisted she come over, she found the back seat of her Mercedes AMG on fire.

"I couldn't believe my eyes," she said.

"It is an older Mercedes AMG, but it is a very nice car.

"I had waterworks flowing."

Photos of the fire damage show it torched the fabric on the car's back seats and roof and left the front dash and steering wheel a charred mess.

Andrews' cousin was able to put the fire out, but the police told Andrews after they were called to the scene that the car was likely a write-off.

Emergency services believe the incident was likely caused by a stray firecracker.

Andrews has now lodged an insurance claim for the car.

Owner Claire Andrews said police described the car as a write-off. Photo / Supplied

She said she doesn't know where the fireworks came from but it definitely wasn't from her family.

She had earlier parked the car with a window left down because it had been a sunny day.

But she said she won't be making the same mistake again.

"It's senseless the damage bloody fireworks cause," she wrote on a Facebook post showing the damage to the car.

"Ban the ... things now."