Local News

Two Monday Afternoon Vehicle Fires Kept Rural Metro Fire Department Busy

Two vehicle fires within one hour yesterday kept Rural Metro Fire Department busy.

On Monday at 12:23 p.m., Rural Metro crews responded to a truck pulling a fifth-wheel trailer that caught fire while descending from Sexton Pass on Interstate 5.

Pulling over near milepost 67, the driver was able to exit without injury. An attempt to use a fire extinguisher came up short due to rapidly advancing flames. Firefighters responded as quickly as possible over the pass to Sunny Valley and then back to the scene where they found the pickup fully involved. The blaze damaged the front exterior of the RV, but suppression efforts saved the contents. The cause of the fire was deemed to be a mechanical failure.

On Monday at 1:23 p.m., Rural Metro responded to a fully-involved vehicle about four miles up Shan Creek Road beyond the National Forest boundary.

Rural Metro officials said there was no driver located and the vehicle appeared to have been burning for a while. Due to the location in a wide gravel turnout, there was no spread to adjacent wildland which allowed crews to focus on cooling the car. The US Forest Service and Josephine County Sheriff's Office are investigating suspicious circumstances surrounding the vehicle's recent history and destruction. Anyone with information is urged to call the Sheriff's Office at (541)-474-5123.
Posted on 5/14/24 11:09AM by Sam Marsh