LEAD, S.D. – The Lead Volunteer Fire Department (LVFD) was dispatched to a vehicle fire on Richmond Hill Road north of Coeur Wharf Mine on Saturday afternoon.
At approximately 2:01 p.m. on Dec. 13, LVFD units, including Rescue 4 and Tender 5, responded to the report. Upon arrival, an on-scene Lawrence County Sheriff Deputy informed firefighters that ammunition inside the cab of the vehicle was discharging due to the heat.
Firefighters discovered a 1-ton pickup truck pulling a trailer with a mini-excavator onboard with a fire free burning in the front of the vehicle. A handline was deployed to extinguish the flames. The crew secured the vehicle on the roadway and neutralized all power sources. The Lawrence County Sheriff’s Office assisted with the incident.
The scene was complicated by weather conditions, with ice and snowpack making the roadway very slick and temperatures around 12 degrees Fahrenheit.
