A collaborative firefighting effort spanning two states was crucial in quelling a semitrailer blaze on Interstate 90 near Beulah, Wyoming, close to the South Dakota border, on a busy Tuesday afternoon. The Crook County Volunteer Fire Department, with aid from the Spearfish Fire Department in South Dakota, managed to douse the flames that had fully engulfed an enclosed band trailer being hauled westward by a semitrailer driver.
The incident began when the driver, vigilant and quick to act, noticed smoke emanating from beneath his trailer. His decisive action to detach the tractor from the flaming trailer and move it to safety undoubtedly prevented a more disastrous outcome. Witness Daniel Ratzlaff, who was driving east on I-90, noted the smoke was visible from over 20 miles away, underscoring the fire’s severity.
The collaborative response saw the Spearfish Fire Department, located a mere 20 miles from Beulah, dispatching significant resources including an engine and two water tenders to assist. Their timely intervention helped contain and extinguish the fire, thankfully without resulting in any injuries, though the trailer was deemed a total loss.