Trailer Explosion and Fire Sends One Man to Hospital with Burns
Missoula Rural and Frenchtown Fire crews responded early Tuesday morning to a trailer explosion and fire at the Wagon Wheel Trailer Park on Big Flat Road.
Battalion Chief Blaine Cowan said the call came in just after midnight.
"There was a report of a loud explosion out off of Big Flat Road in a trailer court," began Cowan. "We responded along with Frenchtown Fire and Missoula Emergency Services ambulance as well as law enforcement out there. Multiple callers continued to report a large fire, more explosions happening and one of the neighboring trailers next to the one that was burning were also starting to burn."
Cowan said one adult male was injured but walking around and was transported to St. Patrick Hospital with burn injuries. His condition is unknown.
Cowan described the response by Missoula Rural Fire to the scene.
"We had three engines, three water tenders and a couple of smaller engines, as well, a command unit and two ambulances," he said. "We had some more units en route, but we were able to extinguish the fire, it was a smaller fifth-wheel trailer we were able to knock down the fire pretty quickly, actually, so we ended up cancelling some of the other units."
Cowan said due to the nature of the explosions and fire, the Missoula County Sheriff's Office is investigating.
The trailer was considered a total loss.