Vehicle fires keep responders hustling
Travis Bateman
Farmer Staff Writer
With what has been a recurring theme at almost a weekly rate had crews scrambling to another vehicle blaze.
On Monday, March 23, at about 6:30pm the Arnegard Rural Fire District had its turn at a vehicle fire on US Highway 85 about one mile west of Arnegard.
Crews arrived to find a white Ford F150 pickup truck fully engulfed in flames with fire spreading into the ditch. Fortunately, the stubble field adjacent to the ditch had a plowed row that worked as a fire break.
Firefighters responded with four apparatus and nine personnel. Two deputies with the McKenzie County Sheriff’s Office took over traffic control from fire crews and eastbound traffic was stopped for about fifteen minutes until it was safe to proceed.
An ambulance was also dispatched and stood by. The two occupants of the pickup were uninjured and stated that as they were driving they smelled smoke and stopped the vehicle where it abruptly combusted into flames visible underneath the engine and spread rapidly from that point. There were no injuries to any responders.
Another reminder to carry a fire extinguisher, watch out for stopped traffic, yield to emergency vehicles, and to call 911 as soon as possible.
This vehicle fire marks the fourth such highway incident since February 20 in our area.
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