18-wheeler catches on fire in Flora

FLORA — No injuries were reported when an 18-wheel tanker truck caught fire on U.S. 49 last week, even after a passerby thought the driver was passed out in the cab.

Assistant Flora Chief Ian Bennet said that he responded with three other firefighters to the call around 10:36 a.m. on Tuesday, Aug. 11 at the intersection of Peach Street.

Personnel arrived on scene to find a tanker truck on fire. 

“Due to the quick response and quick attack on the fire we were able to contain the fire to the semi and keep the fire off the tanker,” Bennett said.

Kimberly Purvis, a Flora native who now lives in Pearl, said she pulled over because she saw a pair of legs hanging out of the open cab door when she was driving northbound on Highway 49. She said the first thing she did was pull over to see if he was okay and called 9-1-1.

“I was driving by and saw the driver was leaning over in the cab with his legs sticking out and thought maybe he had passed out,” Purvis said.

The driver was conscious and alert and was trying to get his fire extinguisher. Purvis said the driver had experienced a blowout and that the tires caught on fire while he was pulling over to investigate. 

She said that the fire was hot and produced a lot of black smoke and flames near the tires on the cab of the truck.

She said the driver stood by her and her truck while emergency responders extinguished the flames.

“I didn’t want him to be waiting by himself after I saw he was ok,” Purvis said. “He was pretty shaken up but thank goodness everything turned out alright.”