Large propane tank fire prompts evacuations

Ossie Bladine/News-Register##A McMinnville firefighter tells an onlooker to move back Tuesday as emergency personnel began to evacuate the area surrounding a car and propane tank fire near the intersection of Highway 99W and Lafayette Avenue. In the background, a McMinnville police officer directs traffic onto Lafayette Avenue.

Rusty Rae/News-Register##Firefighters responding to the blaze are seen in the WinCo parking lot Tuesday. The store and many other nearby businesses were evacuated and closed Tuesday.

Rusty Rae/News-Register##Propane crews remained on the scene Wednesday, burning off excess gas before the tank can be removed. An MFD crew supervised the release.

Ossie Bladine/News-Register##

[Updated 7/30]

Two people were injured in a three-car accident on Highway 99W near Wilco Farm Store Tuesday that resulted in a one-mile-radius evacuation order when a propane tank caught fire, according to McMinnville Fire District officials.

It is believed one of the cars was pushed into a propane tank fueling box (similar to a gas pump) causing a hose line to break and fire to erupt, according to Ty Darby, MFD fire marshal.

The incident occurred at 2:59 p.m. Tuesday on Wilco Farm Store property, adjacent to a Circle K gas station. Around 4:10 p.m., McMinnville Police announced evacuation orders for businesses and residents within a one-mile radius of the accident due to the fire, according to Darby.

“During the process we chose — because of the flames and the temperature around the propane tank — we decided to do a one-mile evacuation order surrounding the tank,” he said.

The evacuation order was a decision of the incident commander and was communicated through a McMinnville police app, social media posts and on-foot alerts by responders, Darby said.

Nearby businesses including Safeway, WinCo, Walmart and Burger King were closed due to the order. Highway 99W was closed at the northern entrance to McMinnville, and the accident disrupted routes for Yamhill County Transit buses.

The order was reduced to 1,000 feet around 5:30 p.m. after nearby businesses were cleared. Power was shut off to surrounding businesses and homes during the fire. Crews conducted checks to ensure propane wasn’t trapped inside buildings before restoring power.

Two people involved in the crash were transported to Willamette Valley Medical Center with unknown injuries; a third person was treated at the scene and released, according to Darby.

All three cars involved were totaled by fire damage, but no other structures were damaged, he said.

“The cars were completely destroyed,” Darby said.

The fire was left to burn for approximately 90 minutes in an attempt to release gas and locate the source of the fire. A fuel line was damaged in the crash, but the exact cause of the fire is still under investigation.

Darby’s working theory is that heat from the fire increased pressure in the tank, causing a relief valve to open, which ignited the propane.

The actual propane tank was protected by bollards and not struck by a car, but the force of the collision with the fueling box knocked the tank off its base, Darby said.

Mac PD released an update on the cause of the crash Wednesday at 3:15 p.m.

"Statements from involved parties indicate that a Subaru Impreza was northbound on Highway 99W when his vehicle struck the back of another northbound Chevrolet Equinox, which sent it across the highway and into the Wilco parking lot striking the propane tank," Mac PD said. "The Subaru Impreza also crossed into the southbound lanes of Highway 99W where it collided with a southbound Toyota 4 Runner." 

The incident remains under investigation and anyone who witnessed or has information regarding the incident is urged to contact Detective Connor Mattison at connor.mattison@mcminnvilleoregon.gov or 503-434-2340 or the McMinnville Police TipLine at 503-434-2337 and refer to case 25MP2308.

MFD was assisted by the Lafayette Fire Department and Tualatin Valley Fire and Rescue’s hazardous materials team. Other agencies included Mac PD, Oregon State Police, Yamhill County Sheriff’s Office, Yamhill County Emergency Management, YCOM and Newberg-Dundee police.
Crews from McMinnville Water & Light also responded, according to Darby.

As of Wednesday at 6 p.m., propane crews and MFD officials were still on the scene burning off propane from the tank so it can be removed safely, Darby said. The effort has been underway since approximately 8 p.m. last night and is expected to wrap up Wednesday afternoon.

“We’re going to stay there until they’re done with the rest of the burn off of the fuel,” Darby said.

Starla Pointer contributed to this article.

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Original posts:

9 p.m. Tuesday update: The evacuation radius was decreased to 1,000 feet about 5:30 p.m. Tuesday evening. The McMinnville Fire District reported that crews will be on scene through the night due to the controlled release of propane. Mac Fire said professionals were on scene to handle the situation and that passersby may see flames. 

More information will be released by Mac Fire and the McMinnville Police Department Wednesday morning.

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4:10 p.m. Tuesday update: The McMinnville Police Department has announced the need to evacuate a one-mile radius around Wilco Farm Stores. Authorities are seeking the public's cooperation.

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An incident has closed the area surrounding the intersection of Highway 99W and Lafayette Avenue in McMinnville, near Wilco Farm Stores. Nearby businesses, including WinCo and Safeway, are being evacuated. Authorities are asking people to avoid the area.

McMinnville Water & Light reports that "power has been shut off the customers north of Northeast Doran Drive behind Wilco due to a vehicle accident that has ignited a propane tank."