Mechanic test drives truck, escapes unscathed after flames erupt near Dixie Drive

ST. GEORGE — The truck’s owner left it at the dealership for service. Later, it burst into flames and was totaled off Exit 5 on Interstate 15 Thursday afternoon.

Smoke billows at the scene of a vehicle fire on I-15’s Exit 5 off-ramp near Dixie Drive, St. George, Utah, May 18, 2023 | Photo by Sheldon Demke, St. George News

Traffic slowed to a crawl shortly before 3 p.m. as dark smoke billowed from the northbound off-ramp at Dixie Drive.

All but the far left lane was closed for 30-40 minutes as firefighters extinguished a blaze that erupted in the engine of a black Dodge Ram, Utah Highway Patrol Trooper Grant Hintze told St. George News.

The Dodge was being serviced at a local dealership, Hintze said. The mechanic completed a repair and was taking the car for a test drive when “something mechanical happened in the engine — we don’t know exactly what, but it did start on fire.”

The man was alerted to the fire, pulled over and escaped the vehicle reportedly uninjured before the engine was engulfed in flames. Hintze said the truck was totaled.

A totaled Dodge Ram sits at the scene of a vehicle fire on I-15’s Exit 5 off-ramp near Dixie Drive, St. George, Utah, May 18, 2023 | Photo courtesy of Utah Highway Patrol Trooper Grant Hintze, St. George News

The vehicle’s owner was notified of the incident, which will be worked out between them, the dealership and the insurance companies, Hintze said. No citations were issued as the fire was “just an anomaly that happens from time to time.”

The St. George Fire Department, Washington County Sheriff deputies and the Utah Department of Transportation Incident Management Team also responded to the scene.

Hintze advises drivers who feel like something is “wrong mechanically” or see smoke to pull over and “double check.”

“As soon as flames start, either get away from the vehicle or if you have adequate fire suppression, give that a try,” he added. “But if that doesn’t work, you back away from the vehicle because of the volatile nature of the car.”

Video at top of story by SHELDON DEMKE, St. George News.

This report is based on information provided by law enforcement and may not contain the full scope of findings. 

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Copyright St. George News, SaintGeorgeUtah.com LLC, 2023, all rights reserved.

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