A lit cigarette tossed out of a vehicle ignited a large brush fire that broke out early Wednesday afternoon between the northbound and southbound lanes of Interstate 5 just north of South 200th Street, according to the Washington State Patrol.
Traffic backed up for as far as 8 miles northbound and as far as 4 miles southbound Wednesday afternoon on I-5.
Four of the five northbound lanes were closed at about 1:15 p.m. All of the southbound lanes were closed at one point as firefighters from several agencies, including Kent, fought the blaze. (See cell phone video of the fire on The Tukwila Blog.)
Anyone who saw a lit cigarette thrown from a vehicle in the northbound lanes at about 1:10 p.m. near South 200th Street, should call the King County Fire and Arson investigators at 206-296-6670.
State Patrol officials emphasized in a media release that with high temperatures and dry conditions, motorists need to keep all lit debris inside the vehicle.
Anyone who is caught throwing lit debris, including cigarettes, from a vehicle is subject to a minimum $1,024 fine.
Residents who witness anyone throwing cigarettes out of a vehicle can call the State Patrol at 424-401-7788 and are asked to provide the location, direction of travel, vehicle description and license plate number.
Lit cigarette the cause of major I-5 brush fire near Kent
Reporter staff
A lit cigarette tossed out of a vehicle ignited a large brush fire that broke out early Wednesday afternoon between the northbound and southbound lanes of Interstate 5 just north of South 200th Street, according to the Washington State Patrol.
Traffic backed up for as far as 8 miles northbound and as far as 4 miles southbound Wednesday afternoon on I-5.
Four of the five northbound lanes were closed at about 1:15 p.m. All of the southbound lanes were closed at one point as firefighters from several agencies, including Kent, fought the blaze.
Anyone who saw a lit cigarette thrown from a vehicle in the northbound lanes at about 1:10 p.m. near South 200th Street, should call the King County Fire and Arson investigators at 206-296-6670.
State Patrol officials emphasized in a media release that with high temperatures and dry conditions, motorists need to keep all lit debris inside the vehicle.
Anyone who is caught throwing lit debris, including cigarettes, from a vehicle is subject to a minimum $1,024 fine.
Residents who witness anyone throwing cigarettes out of a vehicle can call the State Patrol at 424-401-7788 and are asked to provide the location, direction of travel, vehicle description and license plate number.
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