If you've booked this burnt limo, the owner wants to talk to you

The owner of a limousine company whose vehicle burst into flames in Halifax on Saturday is asking anyone who has booked the vehicle to get in touch.

Tye Ali, the owner of Prestige Limousine, said the logbook with all his bookings for the next four months for the limo and another vehicle called the "Party Bus" was inside the vehicle when it was consumed by fire.

Ali said he was standing near the back door of the Ford Excursion stretch SUV limousine when a passerby told him the vehicle was on fire.

At first, Ali didn't believe it. But when he turned around, sure enough, "there's smoke coming out the cabin of the front," he said.

Ali opened the front door to try to grab his logbook and a fire extinguisher, but the heat was so intense that he couldn't rescue either.

"The flames were just everywhere and they were spreading like crazy," he said. "A lot of bad words went through my mind."

No fire insurance

The limo, which is a "write-off," was worth about $35,000, Ali said.

After the blaze, he called his insurance company and learned his policy doesn't cover fires. Ali said he will now ensure the rest of his fleet has fire coverage.

Ali said anyone who has booked the limo or Party Bus should contact him so he can make other arrangements.

The fire appeared to have started in the electrical panel behind the driver's seat, Ali said. Despite the heat and flames, the vehicle's engine was still running after the fire was extinguished.

'Very memorable,' couple says

The couple who had rented the limo for their wedding, Karine Matte and Phil Mabley, said their wedding day was "absolutely fantastic" despite the fire.

"Very memorable," said Matte. "That's going to be quite a story to tell for life."

In addition to their wedding licence, which had been stowed in the limo, the couple also lost about $1,000 in cash that was earmarked for the band and justice of the peace.

"But all that's replaceable and we had a fantastic day at the end of it," Mabley said. "The best man dropped the ring, but I caught it on the second bounce."

Matte and Mabley plan to get a new marriage licence over the coming week.

"Hopefully they're not going to charge us for a second one," Mabley said.