TV host Raul De Molina feared he would be eaten alive by lions after his car caught fire while on safari in South Africa. De Molina — nicknamed “El Gordo” and Spanish-language TV’s best-known personality — has been hosting Univision’s World Cup coverage from Johannesburg. He took a few hours off for a safari last weekend when his Mini Cooper suddenly burst into flames, forcing him out in the middle of the lion enclosure. He told us, “The car kept stalling with the lions running freely around. I could see smoke coming out of the hood, and after 15 minutes the car started burning. I knew it was a no-win situation. If I stayed in the car I was going to die, and if I leave, then a lion would eat me. But because of the smoke I had to get out. I thought someone would rescue me, but 30 minutes later I was still waiting. The safari ranger had told me that 10 years ago, a Chinese tourist had got out of his car and was eaten alive.” Fortunately, the beasts left De Molina alone. “Eventually a family from Johannesburg drove up and told me to get in,” he said. Miami-based De Molina was taken to the hospital for smoke inhalation but was later released and was back on the air this week.
TV host narrowly escapes lions
