UPDATE, 6:45 p.m.: Sgt. Brian Hoffman of the Arcata Police Department, on scene, confirms that two people were taken to the hospital in connection with this incident. Initial reports were that they were inside the car when it caught fire, Hoffman said.
Witnesses who live nearby tell LoCO that the car has been parked in the cul-de-sac for approximately five days. They suspected that the pair were living inside. One person told us they heard an explosion and went outside to find the car on fire. Both of the car’s occupants were badly burned in their lower extremities.
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A car on fire near the cul-de-sac at one end of Arcata’s F Street, near the 14th Street overpass, sent a huge plume of smoke over the town this evening.
The Arcata Fire District has put the fire out, and is still on scene investigating. There is no word yet as to the cause.
Scanner traffic indicated that two people were transported by ambulance from the scene.
We’ll update when we know more.