[1]A crew sprays down the remains of a motorhome on the side of Interstate 5 this morning. / Courtesy photo by Riverside Fire Authority.
Updated at 4:52 p.m.
By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter
An elderly Washougal man was hospitalized for injuries after a motorhome caught fire on Interstate 5 in Centralia this morning.
Firefighters called at 10:10 a.m. to the southbound lanes near milepost 83 found the vehicle on the shoulder and well-involved in flames, according to Riverside Fire Authority.
It was quickly extinguished but it and all of its contents were destroyed, according to the fire department.
The occupant of the motor home stated there was a mechanical problem, that the fire originated in the engine compartment and then spread through the dash to the interior of the motor home, Fire Capt. Scott Weinert stated in a news release.
The 88-year-old had first and second-degree burns to his arm, the back of his head and his neck, according to Weinert. They think it happened when he opened the hood, Weinert said. The patient was transported to Providence Centralia Hospital for evaluation.
The state Department of Transportation reported a seven-mile backup into Thurston County.