MONROE — Tuesday afternoon got a little busy in Monroe, as the fire department was called to two events on 14th Avenue in less than one hour.

At 4:12 p.m. on April 15, the Monroe Fire Department was dispatched to a report of a motor vehicle on fire in the 700 block of 14th Avenue. Three vehicles quickly arrived on scene and went up against a fully involved pickup truck on fire, the smoke of which could be seen across town. Firefighters quickly extinguished the fire, preventing it from spreading to any nearby structures or vehicles.

There were no injuries reported, and no nearby exposures were damaged. At this time, the cause of the fire has been classified as undetermined, according to Monroe Fire Chief Al Rufer. Don’s towing hauled away the vehicle a short time later. 

“We would like to thank the public for their cooperation in maintaining a safe distance while the firefighters completed their work during this incident,” Rufer said.

As fire crews were wrapping up on the scene, dispatched received another call in need of the fire department’s assistance.

At 4:57 p.m. — just 35 minutes after the pickup truck call came through and fire crews were still on scene, the Monroe Fire Department was alerted to a report of a natural gas leak in the 1400 block of Willow Way, just off of 14th Avenue by the Twining Park tennis courts.

“In anticipation of a possible secondary incident, additional resources including Car-11 and Truck 51 were prepared to respond to the scene,” Rufer said.

Firefighters worked quickly to investigate and resolve the situation, ensuring the safety of the residents and surrounding area. 

“Fortunately, no hazardous conditions were found, and no evacuations were necessary,” Rufer said. “We would like to remind the public to report any suspected gas leaks immediately and to evacuate the area if necessary.”