Medicine Hat police and fire services on scene at a vehicle explosion and fire in the Walmart parking lot on Wednesday, Dec. 8. (Photo Courtesy Ross Lavigne)

By Chris Brown

Investigation underway

Vehicle explosion and fire in Walmart parking lot

Dec 8, 2021 | 5:31 PM

Update : City police have confirmed the death of one person in the vehicle.

Investigators have not been able to establish an identification.

The Major Crimes section of the MHPS is working with investigators from the Medicine Hat Fire Service to determine a cause for the explosion.

MEDICINE HAT, AB – Medicine Hat police and fire responded to a serious incident in the Walmart parking lot Wednesday afternoon.

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A vehicle that had been parked at the end of the lot near Tony Roma’s exploded.

The explosion sent glass flying and caused the vehicle to become fully engulfed in flames.

No one in the parking lot was injured.

According to Sgt. Harley Kesler of Medicine Hat Police Service, it’s believed there was someone in the vehicle at the time.

“We’ve talked to witnesses, there are some witnesses that advise there was a person in the vehicle at the time as part of that we do have a right obligation to protect the privacy interests of anybody involved in the vehicle,” he said.

Fire and police crews were still on the scene late Wednesday afternoon.

An investigation to determine what happened is underway.