KINGSTON — A large dump truck belonging to the Northwest Laborers-Employers Training Trust was destroyed in a fire at the training facility in Kingston Tuesday evening, but no injuries or damage to other property were reported, according to North Kitsap Fire & Rescue spokeswoman Michele Laboda.
NKF&R, Poulsbo Fire Department and Navy Region Northwest firefighters were dispatched to a possible commercial structure fire off of Ohio Avenue at 4:49 p.m. on Tuesday after employees found the truck ablaze at the north end of the sprawling training site.
Initial 911 calls reported the truck, estimated at 2.5 tons, fully engulfed in flames with the potential to spread to adjacent structures situated within 10 feet. A plume of black smoke was visible as crews approached the scene. The first units to arrive quickly knocked down the fire and, seeing no further threat to the site’s many buildings, sent the additional crews coming from neighboring districts back to their stations.
Employees at the training center told officials that the truck was used primarily to transport garbage from the site to the Bremerton solid waste transfer station. Though it hadn’t been driven in several months, it was slated to make a trip south later this week with its bed nearly full of debris. No training classes were in session Tuesday but employees had been on site and reported no unusual activity leading up to the fire.
The Kitsap County Fire Marshal responded to the scene. Although the exact fire cause will likely remain undetermined, it isn’t thought to be suspicious and officials say evidence points to fire of accidental origin.
The truck’s cab and bed were completely destroyed.