A dump truck heading west on Highway 82 caught fire Monday, prompting the Mississippi Highway Patrol to stop traffic, officials said. The truck was pulled over a few miles west of downtown Columbus.
While westbound traffic remained at a standstill for more than an hour, one car was seen moving backward toward Columbus on the right shoulder to escape the traffic congestion.
Firefighters from the Lowndes County Volunteer Fire Department responded to a call from the truck driver sometime between 2 and 2:30 p.m. Monday, said George Beard with District No. 5 Volunteer Fire Department.
Officials with the Lowndes County Sheriff”s Office also responded to the fire.
The dump truck, an 18-wheeler, suffered a tire blow-out, Beard said, and then the driver saw flames.
Highway Patrol officers stopped westbound traffic and fire trucks traveled east on the emptied road west of the burning vehicle.
“That”s the first time I”ve ever seen them do that,” Beard said.
In the time it took for the firefighters to appear on the scene, the fire developed.
“By the time we got there, the hydraulic line caught fire too, and that caused the biggest fire,” Beard said. The hydraulic line ended up melting, and the surrounding grass caught fire, he continued.
Firefighters put out the fire in about 45 minutes, Beard said. The trucker, whose identity was unavailable at press time, sustained no injuries and the cabin of the truck was undamaged, Beard said, but he thought the truck would need a new frame.
The Dispatch Editorial Board is made up of publisher Peter Imes, columnist Slim Smith, managing editor Zack Plair and senior newsroom staff.
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