Burning vehicle stops traffic on Palmer-Wasilla Highway

JOEL DAVIDSON/Frontiersman reporter

PALMER - An Alaska Department of Transportation plow/sand truck was destroyed Monday afternoon after catching fire near Mile 1.5 Palmer-Wasilla Hwy.

Alaska State Troopers reported that the driver experienced electrical problems shortly before the fire.

Training coordinator and volunteer captain Todd Russell said the driver, Michael Barickman, 52, of Palmer, was uninjured.

"He said he saw smoke, so he pulled over and just grabbed his coat and cell phone," Russell said.

The Palmer-Wasilla Highway was shut down near Hemmer Road for approximately 15 minutes as plumes of black smoke blew across the highway.

According to Russell, the troopers stopped traffic along the highway to protect drivers from harm in case the truck's gas tanks exploded.

Russell said the seven firefighters who responded to the scene were able to put out the fire and prevent any explosions before the flames reached the gas tanks.

The charred truck, he said, was hauled back to the state's maintenance shop.

Contact Joel Davidson at joel.davidson@frontiersman.com.