FARGO – A fire destroyed a painter’s truck and threatened a nearby skyway on Broadway in downtown Fargo on Monday, April 30.
The fire was reported about 9:30 a.m., and though the truck “was fully involved” in flames when firefighters arrived, they had the blaze extinguished in a few minutes, Fire Department Battalion Chief Lee Soeth said.
The truck was parked 15 to 20 feet south of the skyway, which is just south of Broadway’s intersection with Second Avenue North.
Firefighters quickly sprayed down the burning engine and passenger compartments, then sprayed down the skyway to ensure the fire would not spread, the battalion chief said.
Soeth said a stiff south wind being funneled down Broadway had fanned the flames and pushed them toward the skyway, threatening that structure. No one appeared to be injured in the incident.
ADVERTISEMENT
Jeff Fowler, co-owner of the nearby Subway shop and a former firefighter, said he heard a couple of small explosions, “like paint cans going up,” which drew his attention to the blaze.
“The real concern was the skyway,” Fowler said.
The truck’s owner, Michael Smith of West Fargo, said he was painting in the former Metro Drug building and went to his truck to grab a cigarette and lighter.
Smith said he was standing just around the corner taking a smoke break, when a stranger approached him and “asks if it’s my truck, and says it’s on fire.”
Soeth said the cause of the blaze is under investigation.
