No injuries were reported after a semi-truck hauling watermelons caught fire on Interstate 75.
Marion County Fire Rescue units were dispatched to mile marker 356 on I-75 southbound at around 5 a.m. on Sunday, May 5.
A 911 caller advised that a fire had ignited around the semi-truck’s rear tires, and the flames were quickly spreading through the trailer, according to MCFR.
The semi-truck’s driver managed to detach the cab and pull away from the trailer prior to the arrival of firefighters.
When the first of five MCFR units arrived on scene at around 5:15 a.m., crews observed flames engulfing the trailer. They quickly sprang into action and blasted the trailer with water to attack the flames.
MCFR stated that the fire was called under control shortly before 5:30 a.m.
Firefighters remained on scene for another hour as they performed “extended mop-up operations,” according to MCFR.
There were no injuries reported to firefighters or civilians.