Trailers of hay caught on fire near Holtville

No injuries were reported after double trailers full of hay attached to a semi-truck caught fire on Thursday afternoon on Interstate Eight near the Brock Center Research off-ramp.

The Imperial County Fire Department has yet to determine the cause of the fire.

“It’s still under investigation, we really don’t know,” stated ICFD Battalion Chief Angel Morales on Thursday.

ICFD first responded to the incident right before 1 p.m. Thursday. After the trailers caught on fire, the driver was able to detach the semitruck and safely maneuver away from the fire. The driver was reportedly not injured.

The trailers were fully engulfed and lost to the fire, although the semi was saved, Morales stated.

Some hay on fire from the trailers fell around the area and caused a temporary five-minute closure on the interstate.

It took fire department personnel about 30 minutes to control the fire on the trailers and push the loose hay off the road. After the fire was under control, ICFD personnel stayed on the scene to clear some hay that was still smoldering on the side the road.

No damage was reportedly caused to the oncoming traffic.

Only hay was inside the trailers at the time of the fire, Morales confirmed. The semi was from the local area.