Santa Clarita / Antelope Valley : Driver Keeps on Truckin’ Despite Fire

A truck driver whose vehicle caught on fire Wednesday drove two miles to a truck stop, detached the trailer and saved two-thirds of his cargo as flames consumed the vehicle, according to Los Angeles County Fire Department officials.

No one was injured in the incident, although the truck and three of the nine GMC pickup trucks the driver was hauling for the California Department of Transportation and U.S. Department of Fish and Game were destroyed, said Fire Capt. James Bettencourt.

Ron Goings of Porterville said he was driving south on Interstate 5 about 8:20 a.m. when the rear, dual tire on the driver’s side of his truck blew out and burst into flames.

Goings, 38, said he heard the tire blow and saw it begin to smoke but decided to continue to the Giant Truck Stop of Castaic rather than stop the vehicle on the highway’s steep grade.

“I just got unlucky . . . . I’ve never seen something catch on fire so fast,” Goings said.

Goings said he drained the fire extinguisher he keeps in the truck and four others provided by Giant Truck Stop as he attempted to douse the blaze.

Los Angeles County Fire Station 149 received the call at 8:31 a.m. and doused the fire with the help of a second engine summoned from Station 76, Bettencourt said.

Fire officials estimated the value of the destroyed vehicles at $154,000.

Goings said he was driving from Sacramento to North Hollywood for Dealers Auto Transport Inc.