AGNEW — The quick-thinking actions of two good Samaritans saved a garage and apartment from additional damage from a motor home fire that destroyed at least $1,000 in musical equipment and left two people homeless, said a Clallam County Fire District No. 3 spokesman.
A 54-year-old Agnew man drove an older-model recreational vehicle that he had borrowed from a friend to his new apartment on the 1200 block of North Barr Road to unload some band equipment at about 8 p.m. Wednesday, spokesman Patrick Young said.
“As he shut off the RV, he reported that a fire broke out with a ‘pop,’” said Young, adding that the cause of the fire remains under investigation.
Emergency dispatchers received multiple calls reporting a “huge fire” near the garage apartment, Young said.
Before the fire department could arrive, two people driving by in a pickup hooked a tow strap to the rear of the burning vehicle and pulled it away from the apartment to the middle of the driveway, Young said.
“Their actions reduced the amount of damage that occurred to the apartment,” he said.
The fire department provided no names in accordance with its policy.
Soaring flames
The first arriving fire units found the recreational vehicle consumed in flames reaching 30 to 40 feet above it, and the apartment’s garage was still smoldering from its proximity to the burning vehicle.
Firefighters knocked down the flames and cooled down the apartment garage.
The vehicle was destroyed, while damage to the apartment was limited to the garage door, exterior siding and minor smoke damage on the inside, Young said.
The Olympic Peninsula chapter of the American Red Cross was asked to assist the renter and his wife with overnight accommodations.
A damage estimate was not available Thursday for the vehicle or the apartment.
A guitar worth about $1,000 was reported to be inside the vehicle.
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Reporter Arwyn Rice can be reached at 360-452-2345, ext. 5070, or at arwyn.rice@peninsuladailynews.com.
