SOME burning clothes by a Ryedale roadside had fallen out of a burning washing machine - which was then taken away in a van, according to onlookers.
Fire crews were called to a report of a burning washing machine in the road on the A170 near Wrelton, between Pickering and Kirkbymoorside, at 1.22pm.
A crew from Kirkbymoorside station attended but just found some burning rags by the roadside, which they extinguished.
A fire spokesperson said that crews were told by people at the scene that the burning washing machine had fallen from a van.
The washing machine appears to have been put back into the van, which then left the scene - leaving the smouldering rags by the side of the carriageway.
He said there was no explanation as to why a van was carrying a burning washing machine.
He added that there was a - possibly unrelated - callout an hour later in the Richmondshire area, which saw crews tackle a fire to a Ford Transit van.
The van had suffered "extensive fire damage" from a blaze caused by the spontaneous combustion of oily rags within.
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