KODIAK, Alaska — Coast Guard Fire and Rescue responded to a vehicle fire on West Rezanof Drive near Coast Guard Base Kodiak Monday.

Personnel with the department put out the fire and verified the single occupant of the vehicle was uninjured. The vehicle, a late model pickup truck, will be towed from the site to a shop or private property for repair or disposal by the owner.

Coast Guard personnel at the base gate were notified by the driver of the vehicle that the truck was on fire just down the road from the gate. The driver and a friend who arrived to the scene knocked down the initial flames with an extinguisher he carried aboard the truck but were unable to put the fire out completely. Coast Guard Police Department personnel dispatched Coast Guard Fire and Rescue to the scene to prevent injuries to the public or damage to federal property.

Upon arrival the fire crews knocked down the flames with water, used thermal scanners to detect hot spots not visible to the naked eye and put the fire out fully using foam. Coast Guard Police Department personnel closed West Rezanof Drive to traffic during the response for the safety of the fire crews and the public.

“We are glad that there were no injuries in this incident and the driver reported it before the fire got worse,” said Mike McDonnell, deputy chief, Coast Guard Fire and Rescue. “We regularly respond to vehicle accidents and fires along the state highway that passes through Coast Guard property. We also have a memorandum of understanding with the City of Kodiak and the borough’s two volunteer fire departments to manage fire and rescue on Coast Guard property and assist their departments off Coast Guard property as needed.”

While vehicle fires are rare, Coast Guard Fire and Rescue responded to two vehicle accidents in the area in the last week. They also provide land-based search and rescue response, structural, wild land and aircraft fire response for the Coast Guard base and state airport in addition to conducting a proactive fire prevention program on the base and in Coast Guard housing areas.

“With this dry weather, fires can quickly get out of hand,” said Jeff Halcomb, fire chief, Coast Guard Fire and Rescue. “We are encouraging people to use caution and have contingency plans when their activities involve fire. Be safe and enjoy the weather but be sure to follow borough and city rules regarding open burning.”