Trailer fire disrupts I-90 traffic

NORTH BEND - Firefighters from Eastside Fire and Rescue (EFR) and a unit from the Snoqualmie Fire Department were called to a report of a trailer fire on July 22 at approximately 12:13 p.m. at Exit 35 on westbound Interstate 90 (I-90). When fire crews arrived at the scene the trailer was fully engulfed in smoke and flames that had started moving into the dry grass and brush along I-90.

The trailer belonged to a car racing team from the Spokane area that was headed to the Northwest Nationals in Seattle pulling a 40-foot trailer. The driver noticed fire coming from the back of the trailer and quickly pulled off to the side of the road, disconnected his truck from the trailer and then called for help. The trailer was carrying a race car, 50 gallons of alcohol racing fuel, a 5-gallon can of gasoline and a high pressure cylinder in the trailer, making the fire more difficult to extinguish, according to an EFR official. Fire crews were able to split their resources, extinguishing the trailer fire and knocking down the brush fire that was moving into the trees. The water tender out of the North Bend station was dispatched to assist firefighters on the scene.

EFR's fire marshal and a King County investigator were called to investigate the cause of the fire. The Washington State Patrol closed down two lanes on Westbound I-90 for approximately 2-3 hours. The trailer and contents were a total loss. The fire remains under investigation and no injuries were reported.

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