Moments after a Wantagh man cashed his much-needed tax return check, he lost the money in a car fire.

Ruane Burth lost his job as an insurance adjuster and is facing foreclosure. He cashed his check Wednesday and left most of the money, about $4,000, in the visor of the driver?s seat of the car. He says he was going to surprise his longtime girlfriend and their children by paying off some of their bills.

Burth says the engine of the 17-year-old car he was borrowing from his parents began to smoke before it went up in flames. He says the flames spread so quickly he couldn?t grab the cash in time. Insurance doesn't cover the cash he says he lost, but he will be able to replace bills that still have visible serial numbers on them. Burth says that?s about $400.

"My $4,000 in the car, lost in the fire, the only thing that survived the fire was my daughter's math book,? Burth says.

Burth says he's thankful his kids weren't in the car and that he was able to escape unharmed.