Garage fire spawns smoky skies, propane explosion in small community of Green Valley

RAPID CITY, S.D. (KEVN) - Green Valley is a small, unincorporated community just west of Rapid City Regional Airport. Mostly a collection of small homes between Highway 79 and Rapid Creek, Green Valley is home to just a little over 1,000 people.

Residents were surprised to see a large response of emergency personnel early Saturday afternoon when a garage fire unexpectedly erupted on Green Oak Lane. Tow truck driver Shane Moore was among the first on the scene, immediately calling the fire department and using his large vehicle to help.

“I used my tow truck to block the road to make sure when the fire department got here, there wasn’t a bunch of cars down there in the way,” said Moore. “And I’ve just been out here, kind of keeping people back.”

The fire reportedly started when a golf cart inside the garage burst into flames. Multiple eyewitnesses said a propane tank exploded, launching a large piece of metal into the air. Fortunately, the fire injured no one and the garage was not attached to the owners’ home, which was not damaged.

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