1 Dead After U-Haul Explodes in Idaho Shopping Center Parking Lot

One person died after a U-Haul truck exploded Saturday morning, Dec. 13, in the parking lot of a shopping center in Lewiston, Idaho.

The Lewiston Fire Department said the explosion happened at about 7:15 a.m. local time. Officials noted early on that the incident “appears to have been accidental,” and Lewiston Fire Marshal Julian Sorrell — who led the investigation — said there was “no indication the incident is criminal in nature.”

The department reported there was no fire after the blast. The explosion occurred in a commercial lot near a Courtyard Marriott, Old Navy, Ulta Beauty, Famous Footwear, T.J. Maxx and the Village Centre Cinemas. The fire department said the Courtyard Marriott and Old Navy buildings sustained damage.

Photos released by the fire department showed the rear of the U-Haul heavily destroyed, with debris scattered across the ground and into nearby trees. Investigators initially believed the truck was transporting stored materials “including flammable items such as gasoline and propane tanks.”

Later that day, officials said the investigation had been completed and the property was turned over to the owners for remediation. “Evidence indicated that propane was leaking within the truck’s cargo box,” the fire department said, adding that the exact source of ignition could not be determined.

Responding agencies included the Lewiston Fire Department, Lewiston Police Department, Idaho State Police, the City of Lewiston Streets Division (Public Works Department) and Nez Perce County.

The Nez Perce County Coroner’s office identified the victim to PEOPLE as 61-year-old Douglas R. Petersen from Meridian, Idaho.