Truck driver escapes injury in Turlock semi-truck fire

A trucker in Turlock had just settled into the sleeping compartment of his semi-truck Monday night when he heard popping noises, got out, and saw a fire underneath his truck.

The Turlock Fire Department was dispatched to the fire in the 2300 block of Industrial Rowe just before 10 p.m. The first crews on scene found the semi-truck with an attached trailer fully involved in flames, according to a press release from the department.

Although the semi-truck was a total loss, crews were able to prevent any damage to the attached trailer and got the fire under control within 10 minutes.

The driver was able to quickly remove a few personal belongings and escaped the fire without injury. The cause was determined to be a mechanical malfunction in or near the engine compartment.

While firefighters were battling the blaze a large pocket of molten metal exploded from a magnesium flare-up. This is a common occurrence on vehicle fires, and highlights the danger that our firefighters face on routine calls and the importance of the safety gear our firefighters wear, according to the press release. No firefighters were injured.

This story was originally published November 3, 2015 at 5:00 PM with the headline "Truck driver escapes injury in Turlock semi-truck fire."