YACHATS – U.S. Highway 101 in downtown Yachats was closed for 45 minutes Friday afternoon as firefighters sought to find the source of a strong, smoky odor at the Drift Inn’s motel.
The source turned out to be smoldering, oily rags left in a large plastic container in the motel’s laundry and storage area.
Crews from the Yachats Rural Fire Protection District and Central Coast Fire & Rescue responded at 1:25 p.m. Friday. One engine and a brush truck from each department responded, with the trucks used to block the highway at West Second Street on the north and Ocean View Drive on the south. North and southbound traffic was detoured onto Beach Street.
Once firefighters found the issue they pulled the container outside and doused it with foam.
Firefighters reopened the highway at 2:12 p.m.
