Weed killer sparks blaze that destroys car in Lacey, police say
A Kia Rio was destroyed by fire Tuesday afternoon after the vehicle struck a flammable product on Martin Way, according to Lacey police.
The flammable product? Weed killer, Detective Jon Mason said Thursday.
About noon Tuesday, the Kia was headed east on Martin Way when the driver heard a “pop,” said Mason, which was likely the sound of the container exploding.
The driver pulled over onto Brittany Lane Northeast, got out of the car and looked under it. Flames were emerging from the rear tire well of the vehicle, so the driver called 911, Mason said.
Mason said the weed killer has a flash temperature of 147 degrees. He said the underside of a car’s engine or exhaust pipe could be just as hot, if not hotter.
A check of a surveillance camera in the area shows the weed killer had fallen off the back of a truck that was about five vehicles ahead of the Kia Rio, he said.
This story was originally published May 9, 2019 at 2:04 PM.
