ANDOVER — Chief Michael B. Mansfield reports that Andover Fire Rescue responded to and extinguished a tractor trailer fire Monday evening.
At approximately 6:37 p.m., several motorists on Interstate 495 called 911 reporting a tractor trailer fire in the southbound lane.
Deputy Chief Keith Weightman arrived at the scene located on Interstate 495 South in Andover just before the cloverleaf at 6:44 p.m. to discover a tractor trailer carrying frozen french fries was on fire. Andover Fire Rescue Engine 4 arrived at 6:45 p.m. and began to work to battle the blaze. Shortly thereafter Deputy Chief Weightman called all of Andover’s firefighting apparatus to the scene.
Due to the fire’s location on the highway, there was no available water supply and fire trucks had to shuttle water from the nearest fire hydrant located off of the highway in order to extinguish the fire. It took approximately 4,000 gallons of water to put the fire out. The fire was knocked down at approximately 7:55 p.m.
The trailer and its french fry shipment were not salvageable, but the tractor was saved. No injuries were reported.
Two lanes of Interstate 495 South were closed by the Massachusetts State Police while the fire was being extinguished.
An initial investigation of the scene showed that the tractor trailer had run over a mattress on Interstate 495, which got caught in the truck’s wheel and brake area leading to the fire.
Members of the Tewksbury Fire Department, Lawrence Fire Department, and North Andover Fire Department provided station coverage during the blaze.
“This was an extensive fire with an added layer of coordination and complexity since there wasn’t a fire hydrant at the immediate scene,” said Andover Fire Rescue Chief Michael B. Mansfield. “Andover Fire did a great job today, and I’m grateful for the other departments who were able to provide coverage during the blaze.”
###