A van erupted into a blazing inferno this morning at a church parking lot just west of Lawrence’s downtown.

Mark McAfee, Lawrence, said he was driving his van about 10 a.m. when it started smoking, so he pulled into the parking lot of the First Christian Church, 10th and Kentucky streets.

“I smelled smoke and pulled in, looked down at the engine compartment and it was too late,” McAfee said, as he stood and watched his van burn.

Lawrence firefighters were called in to extinguish the blaze. McAfee said his vehicled burned to a total loss.