Story Photos
 Firefighters work to douse blaze that destroyed a trailer and SUV/truck on Headquarters Road Friday morning. (Thacher Schmid / The Daily News, video still)
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Vehicle fire, explosion close down stretch of Headquarters Road
Saturday, June 21, 2008 12:02 AM PDT
By Thacher Schmid
Printable version
E-mail this articleA vehicle fire Friday on Headquarters Road quickly spread to a trailer, exploded a propane tank and ignited a small brush fire.
The 9:30 a.m. fire was fought by Cowlitz 6 Fire & Rescue out of Castle Rock, Toutle Lake fire units and Washington State Department of Natural Resources in north Cowlitz County.
Gary Smith of Longview said his 1987 Ford Bronco caught fire as he drove up a steep mountain pulling a trailer. Smith tried to put it out with a small fire extinguisher, but it failed. Noticing the fire spreading, Smith said, he ran away.
Minutes later, the gas tank exploded, then a full propane tank in the trailer blew up shortly thereafter. Smith was not injured, and passing drivers quickly called 911.
“I stood back and watched it burn down,” Smith said. “Then the brush caught on fire. Nothing much you could do about it.”
Cowlitz 6 Fire & Rescue firefighters quickly suppressed the vehicle fire, and Fire Chief Eric Koreis surveyed the extent of the brush fire, which did not spread far. Cowlitz 6 firefighters dug through trees and root systems and continued dousing the smoldering remains of the vehicle and trailer with water throughout the late morning hours Friday.
Traffic was slowed on Headquarters Road late morning and early afternoon Friday.
Smith said he was driving to his first day of work as a security guard at a Weyerhaeuser rock quarry when his 1987 Ford Bronco made a “pop” and the power went dead. He stopped the vehicle, then noticed the color of the vehicle’s hood changing.
He said he did not have insurance on the trailer and wasn’t sure what he would now do for work.
By 10 a.m. the truck and trailer were a complete loss, little more than twisted metal skeletons.
Koreis and Washington DNR Fire Forester Jesse Latham said the brush fire was not much of a concern because of the relatively high relative humidity levels and extended spring weather.
Daily News video of the scene
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