Pickup truck destroyed by fire, propane explosions

PORT ANGELES, Wash. — A truck was destroyed after flames erupted in the bed of the pickup and two propane tanks exploded Sunday afternoon in Port Angeles.

Firefighters with Clallam County District 2 were called at about 3:12 p.m. to a report of a vehicle fire behind IGS Grocery located at 3010 East Highway 101.

An explosion was heard by bystanders — and others nearly a half-mile away — before fire crews arrived, officials reported.

When crews arrived at the scene, they found a 2011 GMC Sierra pickup fully engulfed in flames that had spread to grass along the road.

The driver of the pickup told fire officials that they had just filled three tanks and began traveling down Kemp Street when they noticed flames coming from the bed of the truck where the tanks were.

The driver and the passenger then stopped and got out without injury.

Two of the tanks ruptured and exploded, and a third tank was thrown from the truck and landed in a ditch.

The blast from the explosions damaged a nearby business, someone’s travel trailer and a power pole.

The fire and explosions forced the closure of Kemp Street for a couple of hours.

The exact cause of the fire was undetermined due to the extent of the damage done to the truck, officials said.

Cox Media Group