A work pickup truck caught fire this morning at about 11:00 on Highway 95, nearly at the top of the Lewiston Hill. Nez Perce County Fire Chief Patrick Showers says while he was working to put it out, the spare fuel tank in the back of the pickup exploded, rocketing the pickup backward about 10 yards. The explosion sent sparks into the dry grass on the side of the roadway and up the side of the hill. Luckily, winds were low, keeping the fire moving slowly. When we spoke to Chief Showers he appeared to have been lightly singed in the explosion, but reports he’s ok. The driver was uninjured. Northbound traffic was stopped until firefighters had the fire mostly out.
Nez Perce County Fire was assisted by Genesee Fire, Nez Perce Tribal Fire, Idaho Department of Lands, and Peters and Keatts sent a truck full of water up the Lewiston Hill to refill the brush trucks.
