A semi-truck fire destroyed a rig loaded with solar panels along Interstate 20 in Kaufman County on Wednesday night.
The truck was carrying 44,000 pounds of solar panels when its cab became fully engulfed in flames in the westbound lanes near the FM 429 exit.
Elmo volunteer firefighters responded just before 8 p.m., with crews from the College Mound Volunteer Fire Department arriving soon after as the blaze spread to a third of the trailer.
Intense heat melted the truck’s fuel tanks, spilling 200 gallons of burning diesel across the roadway.
Firefighters from both departments worked for about one hour to extinguish the fire. No injuries occurred.
The driver had refueled with 200 gallons of diesel roughly 30 minutes earlier. He reported hearing a “loud pop,” saw smoke, and pulled over. He exited safely as flames overtook the cab’s undercarriage.
The Kaufman County Fire Marshal’s Office is investigating the cause of the blaze.
