The Lennox Volunteer Fire Department was called to a vehicle fire at the Lennox Exit at 3:45 a.m. June 30, 2018. The driver of a south bound semi transporting vehicles noticed fire coming from the rear passenger side tandem axles. The driver pulled off the interstate where the unit became engulfed in flames.
Lennox Fire Chief Wayne Fischer said, “The driver of the semi and the passenger were both out and were able to use two fire extinguishers on it before removing one vehicle from the transport. The driver stated that the extinguishers were unable to put out the fire.”
The South Dakota Highway patrol was first on scene and shut down traffic to the southbound Lennox off-ramp, where the fire was contained. Lennox responded with six Fire Apparatus and 11 Firefighters, Worthing responded with two Fire Apparatus and six Firefighters, Tea responded with two Fire Apparatus and four Firefighters and the Lennox Ambulance responded with one ambulance and two personnel.
The initial cause of the fire is unknown, South Dakota Deputy State Fire Marshal, Paul Coon, was contacted. Department of Transportation and the Highway Patrol kept the off-ramp closed until the recovery could be complete.
Fischer added it was a, “Very unique incident fighting car fires overhead.”
The entire unit was a total loss. Lennox Fire returned to the station at 6:45 a.m.