SEQUIM — A hit-and-run encounter between what a witness said was a large dump truck and a power pole resulted in a small grass fire and power outage for about 85 Clallam County Public Utility District customers Monday afternoon.
Clallam County dispatchers received multiple calls about an explosion shortly past noon in the area of Kitchen-Dick and Woodcock roads, said Patrick Young, spokesman for Clallam County Fire District No. 3.
A dump truck struck a power pole on the southeast corner, causing power lines to fall and to spark a grass fire, Young said.
The fire was contained to grasses along the roadway, he said.
A witness reportedly told authorities that the vehicle was a dump truck towing a trailer.
Young reported that the arriving fire crews contained the fire and waited for Clallam County PUD to shut off power to the line before extinguishing the fire.
The Clallam County Sheriff’s Office is investigating the incident.
The driver of the offending truck left the scene immediately after the collision and might not have known that his trailer struck the pole, said Chief Criminal Deputy Ron Cameron.
Crews closed the intersection for about one hour while crews waited to extinguish the fire, then directed traffic to alternate lanes while PUD made repairs.
The power was cut to about 85 customers for about three hours while crews replaced the pole and repaired power lines damaged by the wreck and fire, said Mike Howe, PUD spokesman.
Reporter Arwyn Rice can be reached at 360-452-2345, ext. 5070, or at arwyn.rice@peninsuladailynews.com.
