Semi Truck Loaded With Syrup Burns on I-84 [PHOTOS]

A semi-truck loaded with flammable syrup provided a spectacular display Monday night on I-84.While this occurred some distance away from us in the Mid-Columbia (near Ontario, OR, close to the Idaho border) we thought we’d share these spectacular photos taken by the Oregon State Patrol. Monday evening a semi-truck loaded with syrup caught fire and the resulting blaze blocked off the westbound lanes of I-84 for nearly three hours.

The two drivers were not harmed and had plenty of time to escape the blaze. It apparently started when the rear axle of the Volvo semi overheated and triggered the fire. The two drivers had stopped on the shoulder because they noticed the mechanical issue. Oregon State Patrol officials said the truck was loaded with syrup and from the way the truck was quickly engulfed in flames, it was probably some sort of cooking syrup that is highly flammable. These nighttime pictures show how fiercely the fire burned for several hours.

Because the location of the fire was outside any local fire districts, crews from the Oregon BLM (Bureau of Land Management) had to rush in to put out the blaze.