Firefighters douse car fire at Durango gas station

Firefighters responded to a car fire Wednesday at the Marathon gas station near the Toyota dealership across from Walmart in Durango.

Police and firefighters staged a significant response given the fire occurred at a gas station.

The fire was reported about 10:15 a.m. at 1220 Carbon Junction.

The blaze started in the trunk of a four-door sedan. The exact cause of the fire was not immediately known, but it did not appear to be suspicious in nature, said Tom Walsh, fire captain with the Durango Fire Protection District.

Two propane tanks were inside the trunk of the vehicle and became engulfed in flames. Still, Walsh said the fire does not appear to be suspicious. It may have started from faulty wiring, he said.

Two occupants of the vehicle left the scene, according to police. But police believe they left the scene because one or both of them had active arrest warrants.

At least one of the owners of the vehicle was taken to Mercy Hospital with minor burns after he tried to access the trunk to extinguish the blaze, Walsh said.

Police helped create a perimeter around the gas station to keep people at a distance in case the fire spread to the gas pumps. But firefighters were able to quickly douse the flames.

shane@durangoherald.com