At appx. 6:39 pm, Richland County 911/Communications Center received a call of a vehicle on fire approximately three miles south of Wahpeton on Hwy #127. The caller reported the vehicle was fully engulfed at the time. First responders arrived on scene and confirmed the occupants were out of the vehicle and safe. Fire personnel arrived and quickly extinguished the flames. The vehicle appears to be a total loss.
The fire appears to have emanated from the engine compartment and most likely a mechanical or electrical ignition source. The 41-year-old male driver attempted to flee the scene on foot, and was arrested on an outstanding arrest warrant, then transported to the Richland County Jail. Agencies responding: Dwight Volunteer Fire Department, Richland County Sheriff’s Office, and
Wahpeton Police Department.