Fire Damages Semi Early Friday; No Injuries

Effingham firefighters handled a semi on fire at TA Truckstop on Evergreen Avenue early Friday morning.

Firefighters were called to the scene at 4:15am. Effingham Police Department was first on scene and officers assisted the truck driver in removing the cab from the trailer of the rig.

The driver, from Adrian, Michigan, was hauling plastic fuel tanks to be mounted in Dodge pickup trucks. 

(A VIEW OF THE TRAILER ONCE THE FIRE WAS EXTINGUISHED)

The truck's ABS light activated while traveling on I-57, so the driver exited at Keller Drive and drove to the shop area of the truck stop for service. When she exited the truck cab, the driver noticed smoke coming from the rear axle area of the trailer and used a fire extinguisher to knock down the fire, but was unsuccessful in fully extinguishing it. Fire crews arrived and quickly put out the remaining fire. Effingham Fire Chief Bob Tutko said the firefighters' quick action prevented the fire from fully extending into the trailer. Tutko said the fire could have been much worse, given the heavy fuel load of the trailer, saying the Dodge fuel tanks are made of plastic.

No one was injured. Tutko said the cause of the fire was listed as accidental.