PORT ANGELES — Smoke rising high over Port Angeles Saturday evening drew attention across the city after a fire broke out at a homeless encampment along the Tumwater Truck Route near the base of the 8th Street Bridge.
The Port Angeles Fire Department was dispatched around 4:41 p.m, as a heavy black column of smoke was clearly visible from across town. The fire was located in a wooded area, where flames had spread across approximately 30 feet by 30 feet of terrain.
Port Angeles Fire Department Captain Travis McFarland says explosions, believed to be from propane tanks, were heard as firefighters arrived. Due to the risk of further explosions, Tumwater Truck Route was closed during the response for public safety. Access to the scene was difficult, requiring firefighters to cross a creek and dense brush before hoses could be deployed.
Crews extinguished the fire and conducted thorough mop-up operations to ensure it would not reignite. No injuries were reported, though the extent of property loss remains unknown.
The exact cause of the fire remains under investigation.