CHEROKEE COUNTY, Ga. — A driver is safe after escaping a bagel truck that caught fire on the highway in Cherokee County, shutting down lanes for over 2 hours, according to fire officials.
Cherokee County Fire and Emergency Services (CCFES) was called to I-75 SB south of Hwy. 92 on January 26th, for a commercial vehicle fire that was hauling a shipment of bagels. When they arrived on the scene, officials reported that the truck was fully engulfed in flames, and the refrigerated trailer also caught fire.
Southbound lanes were closed for about 3.5 hours as firefighters worked to contain the fire. The insulated walls of the trailer made it challenging to access the burning materials inside, so they used multiple saws to cut purchase points to gain access. A water shuttle operation delivered over 6000 gallons of water with 10 gallons of foam to extinguish the fire.
A hazmat unit dug a dike around diesel fuel that had leaked onto the shoulder of the highway, keeping it contained. The fire and emergency services department said they called a towing and environmental company to remove the truck and safety rid of the large amounts of diesel that spilled.
No injuries were reported. Cherokee County Fire said the truck driver "escaped the blaze" before the department arrived.
By 3 a.m., fire officials said the fire was under control. Multiple fire truck units were assigned to the fire, and Cherokee County Fire said they also received mutual aid from Cobb County.
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