Early Saturday morning, Ocala Fire Rescue and Marion County Fire Rescue teamed up to tackle a fiery situation involving a semi-trailer packed with potatoes on Interstate 75 Southbound near Mile Marker 349.
The alarm rang out at 4:42 a.m., sending Engine 6, Rescue 6, Battalion Chief 11, and a Safety Officer racing to the scene. They found the 53-foot refrigerated trailer with flames roaring from its rear wheels and spreading through the cargo. Quick-thinking crews shut down the refrigeration unit, preventing the incident from escalating into a baked potato buffet.
It took about 1,500 gallons of water for Engine 6 to douse the blaze and cool down the scorched wheel and trailer. Thankfully, the driver escaped unharmed, though his cargo wasn’t as lucky.
Officials suspect a tire failure sparked the fiery spud showdown. Marion County Fire Rescue’s Engine 11 and the Florida Highway Patrol also pitched in to keep traffic safe and moving.
Though the blaze turned up the heat on morning commuters, the fire was extinguished without further incident—just some crispy potatoes and a charred trailer left in its wake.
