CEDAR CITY — A semitractor truck was destroyed in a fire at a truck stop in Parowan on Saturday.
The incident was reported shortly after 11 a.m. at the TA Express Travel Center located just off Interstate 15’s Exit 78.
Parowan Police Chief Addison Adams said the fire appears to have started while the semi driver had left the truck for a few minutes.
“He came back and it was fully engulfed,” Adams told Cedar City News.
Although the cause of the fire is still under investigation, Adams said the driver told firefighters that he had been cooking food on a hot plate in the sleeper area.
The blaze burned the semi’s cab almost to the ground and also heavily damaged the front end of its attached trailer, which was filled with a load of oranges.
“It also damaged another truck one space over, with one space in between them,” Adams added.
No injuries were reported.
Parowan Fire Department firefighters responded to the incident, along with personnel from Parowan Police Department and Iron County Sheriff’s Office.
This report is based on preliminary statements from first responders and law enforcement officials and may not contain the full scope of findings.
Photo Gallery
Scene of a semi truck fire at the TA Express Travel Center, Parowan, Utah, Dec. 17, 2022 | Photo courtesy of Parowan Police Department, St. George News / Cedar City News
Scene of a semi truck fire at the TA Express Travel Center, Parowan, Utah, Dec. 17, 2022 | Photo courtesy of Parowan Police Department, St. George News / Cedar City News
Scene of a semi truck fire at the TA Express Travel Center, Parowan, Utah, Dec. 17, 2022 | Photo courtesy of Parowan Police Department, St. George News / Cedar City News
Scene of a semi truck fire at the TA Express Travel Center, Parowan, Utah, Dec. 17, 2022 | Photo courtesy of Parowan Police Department, St. George News / Cedar City News
Scene of a semi truck fire at the TA Express Travel Center, Parowan, Utah, Dec. 17, 2022 | Photo courtesy of Parowan Police Department, St. George News / Cedar City News
Scene of a semi truck fire at the TA Express Travel Center, Parowan, Utah, Dec. 17, 2022 | Photo courtesy of Parowan Police Department, St. George News / Cedar City News
Copyright St. George News, SaintGeorgeUtah.com LLC, 2022, all rights reserved.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Jeff Richards, a native of Salt Lake City with family roots in Panguitch, lived in Moab for 20 years before joining St. George News in 2017. Jeff is a longtime journalist and secondary school teacher. He and his wife Penny are the parents of five daughters. They also have three young grandsons. Jeff and his family enjoy swimming, camping, sightseeing, reading, and taking pictures.