Minnehaha auto body shop fire chars state Highway 500

A private auto body shop north of state Highway 500 and west of Andresen Road caught fire Monday night, along with a large area of brush and tall trees, producing flames up to 20 feet high, according to the Vancouver Fire Department.

Firefighters responded around 8:45 p.m. to 6213 N.E. 38th St., west of the Vancouver Auto Mall, just outside Vancouver city limits, to find exploding propane tanks and flames in the trees between the shop and the highway.

At one point, the fire jumped the berm and burned along the highway, according to Capt. Raymond Egan.

A lack of water along the highway challenged the crews, he said. The fire department added more brush rigs and water tenders and split the crews up to fight the fire from multiple locations.

Fifteen vehicles and 30 firefighters had the building, tree and grass fire under control after about 50 minutes, according to the fire department.

No one was injured, the fire department said. The Vancouver Fire Marshal’s Office is investigating.