A vehicle fire destroyed a work van and damaged part of an apartment property’s front lawn Monday afternoon on Erie’s east side.
Emergency crews were called to 1930 E. 19th Street shortly before 4 p.m. for reports of a vehicle fire.
According to John Herrmann Deputy Chief of the Erie Fire Department, a cleaning crew was inside an apartment building performing air duct cleaning when their van caught fire outside.
An early investigation at the scene led police to believe a vacuum cleaner was running inside the van while a gas leak was present. Deputy Chief Herrmann believes that a vacuum may have created a spark, which ignited the gas and causing the vehicle to burst into flames. An investigation into the exact cause is underway.
The fire quickly engulfed the van, leaving it a total loss.
No injuries were reported.
In addition to the destroyed vehicle, the apartment’s front lawn sustained damage from the fire.
This incident is still under investigation