Early Morning Vehicle Fire Prompts Response From Emergency Personnel

Emergency crews responded to the report of a vehicle on fire east of the high school

At about 5:29 Friday morning, the Valentine Volunteer Fire Department and Cherry County Hospital Ambulance Service responded to the report of a vehicle on fire across the street from the Valentine High School. It was not immediately known if the vehicle was occupied. When Valentine fire chief Terry Engels first arrived on scene, he found a tanker truck's cab fully involved in flames, and three more similar vehicles parked next to it. Fearing that they may contain flammable materials such as gas or diesel, Valentine firemen responded cautiously, requesting that local law enforcement close traffic on Green Street until Cherry County dispatch could confirm with the construction company that the truck's large tanks contained potable water. Emergency crews were able to extinguish the flames before the fire could spread and confirmed that there were no occupants in the vehicle. Cherry County Emergency Manager Jessica Coyle stated that the cause of the fire is unknown at this time.