Sumter County Fire & EMS responded to the report of a fire involving two tractor-trailer vehicles, in the parking area of the Speedway gas station on State Road 44 at Interstate 75 in Wildwood.
Units were dispatched at 2:08 p.m. Wednesday with the first unit arriving in seven minutes, and reported two semi-tractors were heavily involved, with fire extending to the trailers. Crews were faced with burning diesel fuel coming from the vehicle tanks, along with shifting winds, making extinguishment a challenge. Crews were able to bring the fire under control within minutes 15 minutes; however, they remained on scene for several hours conducting overhaul, and containing leaking diesel fuel. Both vehicles were a total loss, and the fire is classified as “unintentional,” starting in the engine area of one of the trucks. The scene was turned over to Florida Department of Environmental Protection, for hazard mitigation.
One firefighter was treated at a local hospital for heat related injuries, and later released.
