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One person is dead after a U-Haul truck explosion early Saturday morning, authorities said.
The blast happened around 7:15 a.m. in the parking lot of an Old Navy store in Lewiston, Idaho, just across the border from Washington state. Douglas Petersen, 61, was killed in the blast, according to the Nez Perce County Coroner’s Office.
Preliminary findings suggest it was accidental.
Investigators say the truck appeared to be carrying stored materials, including gasoline and propane tanks, according to a joint statement from the Lewiston Police Department and Lewiston Fire Department.
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“At this time, there is no indication the incident is criminal in nature,” Lewiston Fire Marshal Julian Sorrell said in a statement.
The explosion caused damage to nearby businesses, including Old Navy and the Courtyard Marriott. No fire erupted after the blast, officials said.
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Officials said there is no immediate threat to the public, but they are asking residents and visitors to avoid the area “to allow emergency crews and investigators to safely complete their work.”
The investigation remains ongoing.
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Multiple agencies responded, including the Lewiston Fire Department, Lewiston Police Department, Idaho State Police, the City of Lewiston Streets Division and Nez Perce County officials.
On Thursday, a home explosion near Hayward in the San Francisco Bay Area left six people hospitalized.
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