Fruit truck decimated after fire in Tulare County, oranges may have contributed

TULARE COUNTY, Calif. (KSEE/KGPE) – A truck transporting fruit was set on fire after it caught fire along a Tulare County highway, fire officials announced Wednesday.

The Tulare County Fire Department says the truck was traveling southbound on Highway 99, just north of Avenue 16, when it started experiencing mechanical issues.

According to crews, a mechanical failure of an axle is believed to have ignited the fire; however, the oranges it was transporting may have contributed to the fire’s damage.

Orange peels contain the highly flammable oil limonene. The National Institutes of Health says the oil’s vapors can even form explosive mixtures when combined with air.

Although no injuries were reported, the damage to the semi was major. Pictures provided by the fire department show a melted engine bay, melted tires, a missing roof, no windows and a destroyed trailer.