Exploding cabbage truck terrified Shell Beach residents. Here’s what caused the blasts
The explosions from a burning cabbage truck that frightened nearby residents in Shell Beach on Friday were due to the truck tires bursting as the fire spread from the cab to the trailer, Cal Fire told The Tribune.
Cal Fire said an 18-wheeler transporting a load of vegetables caught fire at around 9:20 p.m. Friday in the northbound lanes of Highway 101 near Spyglass Drive.
The truck was destroyed by the flames, burning “all the way to the ground,” said Toni Davis, spokesperson for Cal Fire.
The driver of the truck was able to escape safely, Davis said.
Nearby residents told The Tribune they heard explosions for about two hours after the truck caught fire, which Davis attributed to tires popping as the flames spread through the truck.
Paul Malarik Jr., who lives in the neighborhood nearby, told The Tribune in an email that residents heard a series of explosions as the truck burned, for as long as an hour.
The area is always on high alert for fires, as it is adjacent to open space. In June 2020, the Avila Fire burned 445 acres of vegetation in the area, threatening homes and forcing evacuations.
In a Nextdoor post, Malarik said two neighbors used garden hoses to wet down the grassy area near their condos, to prevent spot fires from flying ash and embers.
“It appeared that the entire truck was burning inside,” Malarik wrote. “Some observers on porches claimed that the cab was ‘melted.’ The viscerally felt explosions continued for what seemed to be about an hour or so. The flames continue to keep flaring up over time.
“It was really terrifying for some of the residents who experienced or even fought the last fire,” he wrote.
The cause of the fire is still being investigated, Davis said, but it is believed to have started in the engine and possibly was mechanical.
The fire backed up traffic for hours and wasn’t cleared until 1:35 a.m. Saturday morning.
This story was originally published September 26, 2023 at 11:40 AM.
