WHAT:                     Commercial Motor Vehicle Fire

           

WHERE:                   Interstate 74 eastbound near milepost 190, Champaign County

 

WHEN:                      May 23, 2021 at approximately 6:01 p.m.

                                   

VEHICLES:              Unit 1- White 1998 Freightliner Truck Tractor Semi-Trailer

 

DRIVERS:                 Unit 1- Loren B. Spengler, 61-year-old male of Rankin, IL

 

PRELIMINARY:      Preliminary investigation indicates the following occurred: Unit 1 was traveling on Interstate 74 eastbound near milepost 190 when a fire ensued in the brakes of the semi-trailer.  The fire ensued while the vehicle was in motion.  The driver of Unit 1 pulled over and stopped on the right shoulder of Interstate 74 near milepost 190.  After stopping on the right shoulder, the fire spread to the semi-trailer and the load contained therein.  The driver of Unit 1 separated the truck-tractor from the semi-trailer and drove the truck-tractor forward approximately 20 yards.  The semi-trailer quickly became engulfed.  The load burned for approximately 40 minutes. No injuries reported.

 

Both lanes of Interstate 74 were closed to traffic for approximately two hours.