LEWISTON, ID – A U-Haul truck carrying gasoline and propane tanks exploded in a retail shopping center parking lot Saturday morning, killing a 61-year-old man and damaging multiple nearby businesses including an Old Navy store and Courtyard Marriott hotel.
Douglas Petersen died in the 7:15 a.m. blast, which authorities believe was accidental based on preliminary findings. No fire erupted following the explosion, and investigators said there was no immediate threat to the public.
Fire Marshal Julian Sorrell said the truck was carrying stored materials that included gasoline and propane tanks. “At this time, there is no indication the incident is criminal in nature,” Sorrell stated.
The force of the explosion damaged several businesses in the shopping center near the Washington state border. Emergency crews from the Lewiston Fire Department, Lewiston Police Department, Idaho State Police, City of Lewiston Streets Division, and Nez Perce County officials responded to secure the area.
Authorities asked residents to avoid the vicinity while emergency crews completed their investigation and cleanup efforts. The parking lot remained closed for several hours as officials documented the scene.
The cause of the explosion remains under investigation. Investigators are working to determine what ignited the volatile materials being transported in the rental truck.
Petersen’s connection to the U-Haul and why he was transporting the hazardous materials has not been disclosed. Family members have not publicly commented on his death.
The incident occurred the same week as a separate explosion near Hayward, California, where a gas line rupture destroyed three buildings and injured six people in the San Francisco Bay Area.
