Fire fries load of eggs on I-80

Firefighters from Aurora, Hampton respond to blaze

  • It took over two hours for area firefighters to extinguish this fire which destroyed a trailer loaded with eggs along I-80 Sunday afternoon. The photo was taken by a motorist passing by in the eastbound lane and posted to social media.
    It took over two hours for area firefighters to extinguish this fire which destroyed a trailer loaded with eggs along I-80 Sunday afternoon. The photo was taken by a motorist passing by in the eastbound lane and posted to social media.

    Aurora and Hampton firefighters spent several hours battling a fire that destroyed a refrigerated semi trailer loaded with eggs Sunday afternoon. The fire occurred on the westbound lane of I-80 near the Aurora exit and the stubborn blaze tied up traffic on the interstate for quite some time. 
    Fire Chief Tom Cox says Aurora fire fighters were dispatched to the scene at 2:44 p.m. and found the trailer fully engulfed in flames when they arrived. 
    He said the truck driver had noticed the fire and was able to pull over to the shoulder and unhitch his truck from the trailer before the flames reached the front of the trailer. The fire reportedly started in the area of the tires at the rear of the trailer and he said it may have been caused by a tire or brake issue. 
    Cox said it took some time to get the blaze under control noting that diesel from the tank of the trailer’s refrigerator unit added fuel to the fire. Tow trucks and a skid steel had to be brought in to pull the trailer apart so that water could be applied, and a mutual aid request was sent out to Hampton for two tanker trucks for extra water. 
    In all, he said Aurora responded with seven firefighters in three trucks and Hampton sent two tankers and accompanying firefighters. 
    Cox said fire crews were able to return to the station by 5:09 p.m.