The owner of a camper, and his dog, escaped unharmed after flames erupted from the trailer Tuesday evening as it was parked at the Miami campground. Miami Fire and Rescue Deputy Chief Travis Reichert says the call came in shortly after 9 p.m.
When crews arrived, the camper was fully involved, with the propane tanks venting off flames from the safety valves on the front of the trailer. Firefighters doused the flames, and were able to safely move the tanks to a safe distance to vent off remaining propane to avoid reignition.
Overall, the fire was extinguished quickly, but crews were unable to save the camper. According to Reichert, it's believed the fire was started by a propane hot water tank malfunction.
Meanwhile, it's been a busy week or so for Miami Fire and Rescue, with Tuesday's call the third.
Wednesday, July 31st around 1:16 p.m. the department was dispatched to a vehicle fire four miles east of Miami on Highway 23. The vehicle was a total loss. Then on Friday, August 2nd, around 7:30 p.m., firefighters were dispatched to a semi-trailer fire two miles east and two miles north of Miami. No injuries were reported from these incidents, either.