Explosion at Wenatchee gas station destroys fuel pump and motorcycles

WENATCHEE, Wash. – An explosion at the Quick Stop gas station on Ferry Street in Wenatchee caused significant damage over the weekend.

The incident destroyed a fuel pump and two motorcycles. Investigators have identified two potential causes for the explosion.

The most likely cause is fuel dripping from the pump onto a hot part of a motorcycle.

Fire Marshal Kurt Blanchard from the Wenatchee Valley Fire Department explained, "Any sort of fuel that drips down on a hot manifold-- especially in the summertime-- we're experiencing a heat wave with hundred-degree temperatures-- there's a high likelihood that it's going to ignite fuel vapors."

Fire experts recommend always turning off your vehicle when refueling to prevent such incidents.

Blanchard also mentioned a second, less likely cause