Overheated truck tire starts fire on NSW highway

ERJ staff report (BC)

Ultimo, New South Wales, Australia - Emergency services have attended a truck fire, about 20km north of Narrabri on the Newell Highway in New South Wales, report Kerrin Thomas & Catherine Clifford of ABC.

Inspector Grant O'Regan, from Fire and Rescue New South Wales, says one of the tires of a semi-trailer, which was carrying 27 tonnes of highly flammable seed oil, burst into flames.

He said it was a potentially very serious blaze that crews caught in the nick of time.

"The rear axle had overheated which set alight one of the rear tires of the truck and this, in turn, also set alight some nearby dry grass," he added.

"The crews, in conjunction with the Rural Fire Service, put the grass fire out and also attended to the tire, quickly extinguishing it.

The truck driver was uninjured in the incident.

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