Tractor Trailer Fire at Rest Area, LEGGETT, September 9, 2008 - At approximately 6:45 pm on September 9, 2008, a tractor trailer fire was reported to be in the rest area of Leggett. Polk County Volunteer Fire Department was dispatched to the scene and upon arrival found the trailer portion of the truck "fully involved" (fully involved refers to being engulfed in flames). The truck is with Carrier King Express out of Maine. The driver of the truck, Gerald Robinson, 36, was north-bound of US-59 when, according to Robinson, he heard a boom come from the trailer of his rig and within a minute pulled into the rest area on 59 north-bound side. Robinson then got out of his truck and noticed that the brakes had caught fire. Robinson attempted to put out the fire with the truck's extinguishers but it wasn't enough. Robinson wisely detached the truck from the trailer to save it from catching fire. 3 fire engines from the Livingston Volunteer Fire Department showed up and a surplus of firemen including Chief Corky Cochran, and Assistant Chief John Haynes.
The truck was hauling old computer equipment.
A column of black smoke was visible from a distance. Upon arrival, firemen immediately began hosing down the burning hulk with water and foam. Sparks exploded from one side of the blazing wreckage as firefighters battled the blaze. The truck was hauling a plethora of old computer equipment. Firemen had to cut into the trailer, crawl inside, and unload some of its contents in order to fully extinguish its burning cargo. Deputy Lee Rogers arrived to investigate and question the driver of the 18 wheeler. Fortunately nobody was hurt in the incident. The fire was fully extinguished before 7:30 pm. As for the mess from the incident, Carrier King Express is responsible for cleaning up and paying for any damages to the rest area.
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