Hay truck fire partially closes freeway in southeast Idaho

Hay truck fire along I-86 east of Burley, Wednesday, Oct. 20, 2021 (Courtesy: Idaho State Police)

Pocatello, Idaho — Firefighters and emergency crews were called to a semi-truck fire in southeastern Idaho that partially closed Interstate-86. The blaze was reported on westbound I-86 near Raft River, east of Burley, Wednesday at approximately 4:56 p.m.

Emergency crews responding to Hay truck fire along I-86 east of Burley, Wednesday, Oct. 20, 2021 (Courtesy: Idaho State Police)

Idaho State Police report the truck driver said he was traveling westbound when a passing truck driver notified him via radio that hay bales on the trailer were on fire. The driver pulled to the right shoulder and tried to extinguish the flames but it spread quickly and soon engulfed all three trailer loads. The blaze also caused a small grass fire.

Westbound travel on I-86 near the Coldwater Hill was closed into the evening hours to allow firefighters to extinguish the flames in the large hay bales. The triple trailer hauling the hay was a total loss. The driver of the truck, a man from Rupert was not hurt.

A farmer working nearby responded and offered his backhoe to help push the hay off the trailers, spreading out the bales to allow firefighters better access. Troopers on scene said the farmer’s assistance was timely and very helpful in containing the fire.

Troopers with the Idaho State Police, Power County Sheriff’s deputies, and firefighters from the Power County Fire District, Cassia County Fire District, Declo, and Rockland Fire Departments all responded to the blaze.


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