Passengers saw smoke coming from the hood of their red mini-van, and moments later it was engulfed in flames.
Leamington fire crews were called to the Mersea Rd. 15 fire just before 10am.
A section of the road between County Rd. 34 and Road 5 was closed while they battled the blaze.
Chief Chuck Parsons says a fuel leak under the hood sparked the fire, which completely destroyed the van.
Parsons is also reminding people not drive around road blocks. He says several people tried to drive past the road closure while firefighters were in the middle of battling the flames.