Sydney family lucky to escape car inferno

A Sydney family is lucky to be alive after their car burst into flames moments after getting out.

A witness told 9NEWS the driver said he pulled over on the M1 about 7pm last night after hearing a strange noise coming from inside the car.

Shortly after the driver and his family got out the vehicle caught fire and became fully engulfed within minutes.

Police and firefighters attended the incident in the northbound lane about 5km north of Wharoonga.

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