Car fire extinguished on U.S. 95
Photo by CHRIS BUSTILLO
BONNERS FERRY — Paradise Valley Fire and South Boundary Fire responded to a car on fire at the intersection of U.S. 95 and Pothole Road around 2 p.m. Friday, Sept. 14.
When they arrived on scene, the car was fully engulfed and the grass around it was starting to catch fire. Since the car was a loss, they immediately turned their attention to the surrounding grass to prevent a wildfire from starting.
The fire burned for a long period of time, with South Boundary Fire Chief Tony Rohrwasser and Paradise Valley Firefighter Andrew O’Neil on the hose.
“It took a while primarily because the fuel inside the tank was on fire,” said Rohrwasser. “It continued to pour out and reignite.”
They ended up ripping off the car’s hood and trunk to reach the fire, with both fire departments working diligently to get it under control. Traffic was stopped on the highway to keep the public safe.
“Finally, at the end, we succeeded,” said Rohrwasser.
The car was a total loss but there were no injuries.