BAXTER-Quick action by employees at the Holiday Stationstore off of Dellwood Drive in Baxter may have kept an already serious situation from becoming a gas station nightmare.
Holiday Stationstore Assistant Manager Kelsi Busho was getting ready to end her shift just after 2 p.m. Monday, when a gas pump ignited into fire. Busho said a Baxter woman, who was at the gas pump, accidentally hit the gas pedal instead of the brake, starting the fire. The woman, who didn't want to be named, said her car door was open and she thought she stepped on the brake, but hit the gas pedal and the vehicle ran over the gas pump hose.
Busho said she saw the smoke and yelled fire and asked everyone to move their vehicles. There were two other vehicles near the gas pumps.
"I've never seen anything like this," Busho said. "Hearing the noises the fire was making was scary.
"My heart is still racing."
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Holiday Sales Associate Tate Halonen said they called 911 right away and made sure everyone was safe. Halonen said the woman at first appeared to be in shock as she was watching the fire; and they helped get her away from the fire danger.
"They did a good job at turning the gas pumps off," Brainerd Fire Chief Tim Holmes said. "We were able to contain the fire to the gas pump."
There were about a dozen firefighters on scene. The Baxter Police Department, Crow Wing County Sheriff's Office and the Minnesota State Patrol assisted Brainerd fire on scene.
