Bearhawk onboard fire

[A2022]

the aircraft is pointed straight down. I guess the pilot jumped because the fire was too hot, and the passenger (the mechanic) went for the remaining ride. gruesome ending for a pancake flight. it makes me wonder how the fire began. seems to have a lot of whiteish smoke. maybe an oil fire, a hole in the case by a rod or something? hopefully, they can find something so we can learn something. I can't imagine the thought process of stepping out of an aircraft with no chute but perhaps it was the better option. A similar situation occurred a while ago, where the RV8 suffered a fire, and the pilot decided it was better to step outside.

https://youtu.be/yy3awiiwzN8?t=758