Police seek information about suspicious fire

Posted 7/22/21

When a truck burst into flames one late night in June, Powell police were immediately suspicious.

“... Then the investigation confirmed that it looked out of sorts,” said Police Chief …

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Police seek information about suspicious fire

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When a truck burst into flames one late night in June, Powell police were immediately suspicious.

“... Then the investigation confirmed that it looked out of sorts,” said Police Chief Roy Eckerdt. The department is now asking the public for any information that might shed light on what happened or who might be responsible for the fire.

“Based on the time of day, there weren’t any witnesses,” Eckerdt said, “so we’re hoping that somebody out there saw something they could share, or heard something they could share.”

The 2010 Ford 150, which was parked outside a trailer in Scott’s Granite Park, was reported to be engulfed in flames around 10:30 p.m. on Thursday, June 17. Powell Volunteer Fire Department personnel doused the vehicle and contained the fire, but the Ford was a total loss.

It’s strange for a vehicle to dramatically catch on fire in cooler night-time temperatures and after being shut off and parked for hours, Eckerdt noted.

When the Wyoming Department of Fire Prevention and Electrical Safety later probed the incident, an investigator and lab testing found signs that an accelerant had been applied to the truck, Eckerdt said. “The pattern of the fire and the traces of the accelerant indicate [it] potentially had a nefarious start.”

Last week, Powell police took to their Facebook page to seek tips. Anyone with information is asked to contact police at 307-754-2212 or anonymously by calling the Crime Tips phone line at 307-764-8400, emailing crimetips@cityofpowell.com or visiting www.powellpolice.com/copy-of-submit-a-tip.

Under Wyoming law, a person who intentionally starts a fire and deals more than $200 worth of damage to another person’s property can be charged with third-degree arson. It’s a felony charge punishable by up to five years in prison and a $5,000 fine.

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