Brake Failure on Grapevine Causes $500,000 Big Rig Auto Transport Fire

  • Harry Spyrka of Ace Hardware sent this photo of the charred vehicle remains, still in the transport trailer.

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    Harry Spyrka of Ace Hardware sent this photo of the charred vehicle remains, still in the transport trailer.

  • Harry Spyrka sent this photo of a burned vehicle from the auto transport big rig on Saturday, Aug. 13, northbound Interstate 5.

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    Harry Spyrka sent this photo of a burned vehicle from the auto transport big rig on Saturday, Aug. 13, northbound Interstate 5.

LEBEC (Saturday, Aug. 13, 2011 at 8:30 p.m.)—The Kern County Fire Department reports there was an auto transport big rig fire on northbound I-5 about 1 mile north of the Grapevine exit about 3:15 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 13. This is the KCFD report:

"The first arriving engine company made a quick attack on the fire that had spread into the trailer of the vehicle which was loaded with brand new luxury vehicles. The KCFD was [able to] separate the trailer from the tractor after extinguishing the fire. The driver of the big rig was then able to drive the tractor away from the rear portion of the vehicle that was on fire.

"Total damage to the rear trailer and cars on board is estimated at $500,000 and an aggressive initial attack prevented the fire from extending into the front section of the trailer, which contained three luxury vehicles, saving $450,000 worth of property loss. Cause of the fire was determined to be from a brake fire. No injuries were reported. A total of ten Kern County firefighters assisted in extinguishing the flames."

 

This is part of the August 12, 2011 online edition of The Mountain Enterprise.

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