Car fire along I-5 in Fife spreads to brush, leads to mistaken report of body

FIFE, Wash. — A car fire along I-5 in Fife Monday morning extended to brush and caused a mistaken report of a body.

Fire crews were called to southbound I-5, just south of 70th Avenue East in Fife, just before 6 a.m. Monday, after a car careened into a ditch and caught fire.

Crews fought the brush fire from the northbound lanes of Pacific Highway. The two right lanes of southbound I-5 were closed at the scene. As of 7:30 a.m., only one right lane remained closed.

Washington State Patrol Trooper Robert Reyer said one person was reported to have been found dead in the backseat of the car that had caught fire, but that report turned out to be incorrect.

Reyer said he’s relieved to confirm that no one died and that a mistake was made.

Authorities said some plastic parts of the vehicle that melted in the fire were initially thought to be human remains, but no one was hurt.

According to authorities, a man was seen walking away from the vehicle. Witnesses said he appeared to be under the influence of drugs or alcohol.

That man has not been found.

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