Trailer Toting Seltzer Totaled by Fire on Interstate

A tractor trailer en route from La Crosse to Kentucky is a total loss after a fire ignited while traveling along the interstate early Friday morning.

Another motorist flagged down the driver to alert him to a problem at the rear of the trailer. The driver pulled over to investigate and found smoke and sparks coming from the passenger-side rear-most dual wheels. The fire grew too quickly for him to handle with a fire extinguisher and he called 911.

The tractor and its 53-foot cargo trailer were fully involved with fire when Ladder 14 arrived to its location at eastbound I-90, mile marker 140.8. An additional engine company and a mutual aid tender were requested due to the amount of fire and size of the vehicle. MFD Engine 8 and Cottage Grove Tender 1 responded.

Ladder 14 began fire attack. Engine 8 supplied Ladder 14 with their tank water (an additional 500 gallons) and firefighters deployed a second hose line. Then, Cottage Grove Tender 1 arrived and nursed Engine 8 with an additional 3,600 gallons of water.

Knockdown of the fire was finally achieved at 2:27 AM. The tractor, trailer, and cargo were all total losses. The trailer was hauling 60 pallets of alcoholic seltzer.

No injuries were reported. Firefighters cleared from the call around 3:38 AM.