The California Highway Patrol is investigating the cause of two big rigs transporting bales hay to catch fire on Tuesday, November 12th.
At approximately 2:59 p.m., Trent Thomas was driving his commercial vehicle on northbound interstate 5, just north of freshwater road, when for an unknown reason the straw bales on one of the trailers caught fire.
Thomas was able to stop his vehicle on the northbound right shoulder, south of Lurline Road and exit the vehicle.
Moments later, Thomas’ uncle, Brian Walker was traveling in the same direction carrying a similar load pulled off the highway just north of Thomas to assist with the engulfed vehicle.
Due to the high velocity swirling winds at the time, some embers floated in a northern direction toward Walkers vehicle, and ignited his trailers loaded with straw hay bales.
Walker’s vehicle also became fully engulfed.
The California Highway Patrol closed the northbound traffic of Interstate 5 at approximately 3:20 p.m.
The complex blaze required assistance from several area fire departments including Williams, Arbuckle, Colusa City, Sacramento River, and Meridian.
No injuries were reported.
Interstate 5 was reopened at approximately 7:30 p.m.
