SACRAMENTO COUNTY, Calif. -- Traffic backed up along Interstate 80 early Thursday after a big rig loaded with provolone, cheddar and other cheeses caught on fire. The truck ignited along the freeway at Watt Avenue at about 3:45 a.m., the California Highway Patrol said.
Frank Barker, who was driving the rig from Salt Lake City to the Bay Area, said the trouble began when smoke began pouring out from under the truck. Barker said he pulled the rig over and at that point the fire erupted. He tried to use a fire extinguisher to douse the blaze, but to no avail.
"It went pretty quick," said Barker, adding that he was "stunned" by the fire. "At this point, I just don't know what I'm going to do or where I'm going to go," he added.
Amid the chaos, Barker said he jumped back into the tractor and rescued his dog, who accompanies him on long hauls. Barker and his dog were not injured.
As of sunrise, firefighters were still at the scene. Cheese packages were scattered along the side of the road and the cleanup was expected to take several hours.
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