by Cameron Weston
A SEMI-TRAILER caught fire on the Western Ring Road in Ardeer on Monday of last week, sparking a grass fire.
Metropolitan Fire Brigade (MFB) spokesman Geoff Audsley said passing motorists and the truck driver first reported the fire about 2.05pm.
Fire trucks from Laverton North and Deer Park attended the scene, bringing the fire under control in about 15 minutes.
Mr Audsley said it was thought that the fire started when the back brakes of the semi-trailer overheated or a wheel bearing seized.
The truck driver reported seeing smoke and flames beneath the trailer when he looked in his rear view mirror.
He pulled the truck into the service lane of a service station next to the northbound lanes Western Ring Road, by which time flames had spread to heavy curtains along the side of the trailer.
The fire then quickly spread to dry grass along the side of the road and near the service station.
Mr Audsley said vehicle fires started due to mechanical overheating were more common in hot weather, and drivers should be aware that tinder dry grass is a ready fuel source when they pull their vehicle over in such an emergency.
