Car destroyed by fire next to Friday Harbor ferry landing; no injuries

Top photo: Flames come out of the engine compartment of a Jeep Wagoneer, which caught fire Tuesday near the Friday Harbor ferry landing. Second photo: Town Firefighter Mike McClellan puts water on the fire, as Fire Chief Vern Long watches. Third photo: Firefighter Mike McClellan attacks the fire from under the car. Bottom photo: The car
Richard Walker
Top photo: Flames come out of the engine compartment of a Jeep Wagoneer, which caught fire Tuesday near the Friday Harbor ferry landing. Second photo: Town Firefighter Mike McClellan puts water on the fire, as Fire Chief Vern Long watches. Third photo: Firefighter Mike McClellan attacks the fire from under the car. Bottom photo: The car's owner, in sunglasses, confers with Fire Chief Vern Long and Sheriff William G. Cumming, as Fire Department Photographer Ron Garner listens.

August 10, 2010 · Updated 1:08 PM 

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An older-model Jeep Wagoneer station wagon was destroyed by fire Tuesday morning on A and First streets, above the ferry parking lanes.

There were no injuries. Friday Harbor Fire was on the scene within six minutes of getting the call, department photographer Ron Garner said.

Averell Rennie, 18, the car's owner, said the car was involved in a recent solo rollover crash on White Point Road. He said he was driving the car from his family's home on Westcott Bay to the ferry landing to take it to an off-island wrecking yard.

When the car got to A and First streets near the ferry landing, the car started to smoke. "I shut the car off and got out, and it started back up again," he said.

He asked a ferry landing worker for help pushing the car into Lane 10, but then fire started coming out from under the hood. Rennie said a few people came from adjacent businesses, among them the Hungry Clam, with fire extinguishers.

The fire occurred shortly after 10 a.m., as the ferry landing filled with vehicles awaiting the 10:55 a.m. ferry to Anacortes. The fire drew crowds of onlookers. Ferry landing worker Jared Chambers asked onlookers to clear the way for vehicles needing to get to the ferry landing, and deftly directed vehicles through.

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