Hero cyclist's dramatic rescue after South Coast car bursts into flames

The man was riding south on the Princes Highway just after 3pm on Saturday, January, when he noticed smoke coming from the engine of a Nissan sedan that was also stopped at the lights.

He alerted the driver, who turned left into Junction Street and stopped on the roadway beside the Return and Earn centre.

As flames started to spread the cyclist helped the driver and passengers get out of the vehicle, and retrieve a large amount of luggage from the car.

Fire and Rescue crews from Nowra and Shoalhaven arrived to find the car engulfed with flames.

As they fought the blaze wearing breathing apparatus, tyres started exploding and the full fuel tank ruptured, sending flames running along the gutter and a thick plume of black smoke into the air.

Shoalhaven Fire and Rescue Station Officer Ian Walters said the people in the car had just filled up with fuel.

"We had a bit of a running fuel fire there along the gutter line for a little while, but we were able to put some fire fighting foam on that to extinguish it," he said.

Station Officer Walters said it took about 30 minutes to put the fire out.

He was full of praise for the cyclist who noticed the smoke and helped get the occupants and luggage out of the car.

"They had a fair bit of luggage in the boot and the back seat of the car," Station officer Walters said.

In the process the man "took in a little bit of smoke from the fire," Station officer Walters said, resulting in fire fighters giving him oxygen.

Paramedics treated him of the scene for smoke inhalation, but he refused attempts to take him to Shoalhaven Hospital.

Station officer Walters said the incident most likely began with "a mechanical, electrical or fuel failure that started a fire in the engine compartment".

He said the car's occupants were shocked and upset, but "The main thing is people got out and were safe."

Police are investigating the fire's cause.