An Olathe man escaped injury when his semi caught fire near Emporia on Thursday morning, but the truck’s tractor unit is listed as a total loss.
Lyon County Deputy Brandon Early says deputies, Emporia Fire and Hartford-Neosho Rapids fire were dispatched to Interstate 35 near the Road U intersection at mile marker 138, about five miles east of Emporia’s East Sixth Avenue exit. Early says 55-year-old Gary McDannald was parked on the shoulder when he noticed the engine compartment was on fire. McDannald tried unsuccessfully to put out the fire by using the truck’s extinguisher.
Fire units got the blaze out.
McDannald was not hurt. The cause is undetermined but is believed to be either electrical or mechanical in nature. McDannald was hauling mowers. The condition of the load has not been announced.
