Truck fire on I-84 closes eastbound lanes near La Grande

Published 2:00 pm Friday, May 12, 2023

LA GRANDE — A truck fire on Interstate 84 near La Grande triggered explosions but caused no injuries on Friday, May 12.

The fire broke out at about 10:20 a.m. after the engine of a truck pulling a trailer filled with frozen food malfunctioned. When the driver, who had no passengers, pulled over on the eastbound lane of I-84 he noticed flames coming out of the truck. He exited the cab and unsuccessfully attempted to extinguish the fire.

Crews from the La Grande and La Grande Rural fire departments then arrived on the scene.

“The cab was fully engulfed,” said Robbie Routt, a senior trooper with the Oregon State Police.

Both eastbound lanes were closed for at least 30 minutes while the fire was being put out.

One tire on the truck and several portions of the truck’s engine exploded during the fire, according to the Oregon State Police.

The fire departments and OSP were assisted by the Oregon Department of Transportation.

A number of motorists in the adjacent westbound lane of I-84, about 20 yards away, stopped to watch and take photos. Routt said this is a dangerous thing because onlookers are at risk of being hit by items sent sailing by explosions during vehicle fires. He noted that an explosion could have easily blown a tire across the median and seriously hurt a bystander.

“Those tires are quite heavy,” Routt said.

The senior trooper also said that people standing on the side of the freeway watching a vehicle fire are at risk of being hit by passing traffic because drivers are often distracted by a fire.

“People who are outside their vehicles can cause secondary crashes,” Routt said.