AMHERST— A University of Massachusetts police vehicle was destroyed Monday morning at Haigis Mall after its engine suddenly caught fire, officials say.

UMass spokesman Ed Blaguszewski said an officer was parked off Massachusetts Avenue Monday just after 10 a.m. while on road detail when he observed the car overheating and smoke coming from its hood. While the Amherst Fire Department was able to respond quickly and extinguish the flames, the damage suffered to the vehicle was severe, Blaguszewski said.

“The vehicle, one of the department’s older cruisers with high mileage, was heavily damaged,” Blaguszewski said.

He added that some gear inside the trunk was safely retrieved.

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