Propane Blast Engulfs Van in Yellowstone Inferno Near Montana Border

Yellowstone National Park rangers responded to a fiery scene on Saturday afternoon when an engine fire in a Mercedes-Benz Sprinter van ignited a propane tank, causing a full-vehicle explosion along a busy park road near the Montana entrance. The incident, first reported by the Billings Gazette, occurred around 2 p.m. MST in the park's northern district, a gateway for thousands of Montana visitors from Billings, Bozeman and Livingston. Witnesses described a deafening boom followed by flames shooting dozens of feet high, but swift action by park firefighters prevented the fire from spreading to surrounding lodgepole pines or the Madison River nearby.

The van, commonly used by campers and RVers exploring Yellowstone's geothermal wonders, carried a standard propane tank for cooking and heating, authorities confirmed in a park release. An initial investigation points to an electrical short in the engine compartment while the driver, a Montana resident from Big Sky, was en route to a backcountry campsite. No citations were issued, and the driver was uninjured, treated on-site for minor smoke inhalation. This marks the third vehicle-related fire in Yellowstone this season, highlighting the dangers of propane systems in high-altitude, dry conditions prevalent in Montana's summer months.

Park spokesperson Emily Davis noted the response involved 12 firefighters from the Montana-based Yellowstone Fire Program, utilizing water tenders from Gardiner and West Yellowstone stations. The closure of the affected road lasted two hours, causing minor delays for park shuttle users. Officials reminded Montana visitors to inspect RV propane lines regularly, especially after the recent Big Sky propane truck explosion in January that damaged two 1,000-gallon tanks without injuries. Yellowstone, spanning 3,472 square miles across Montana, Wyoming and Idaho, sees over 4 million visitors annually, many from Big Sky and Gallatin County.