Car accident on Lower Lynch causes fire
<p>The Plains-Paradise Rural Fire Department work to extinguish a fire that was caused by a vehicle that went off of Lower Lynch Creek Road.</p>
PLAINS – On Wednesday, August 28, a vehicle on Lower Lynch Creek Road swerved off the road, hit a tree and ignited a fire.
According to Sergeant Derek R. Brown with Montana Highway Patrol, the vehicle was headed northbound when it went off the road, into the brush and started the fire.
“I saw the flames coming out of the top of (the tree.) It looked like a roman candle,” said Sgt. Brown. Reports of embers 50 feet up in the air were also reported.
The road was closed for approximately 30 minutes after the call came in around 3:45 p.m.
Plains-Paradise Rural Fire Department and Plains Ambulance were dispatched to the scene of the accident. The Sanders County Sheriff’s Office, the DNRC, Plains Police Department and MHP were also on scene.
According to Plains-Paradise Rural Firefighter, Jim Henry, it looked like the car hit a soft patch of dirt before losing control.
“Once you hit the soft gravel, you get sucked into it,” said Henry.
Plains-Paradise Rural Fire Chief, Johnny Holland, said the car was fully engulfed in flames when they arrived.
The Rural Fire Department extinguished the flames, using water and foam fire suppressant. Valley Towing then responded to the scene of the accident and removed the vehicle.
The occupant of the vehicle was transported by ambulance to Clark Fork Valley Hospital.
The identity of the occupant is unknown at this time.