KAUFMAN COUNTY, Texas — Come consumer-grade explosives were disposed of and firearms were recovered and traced following a FedEx trailer fire on Monday morning on Interstate Highway 20 in Kaufman County.
KAUFMAN COUNTY, Texas — Come consumer-grade explosives were disposed of and firearms were recovered and traced following a FedEx trailer fire on Monday morning on Interstate Highway 20 in Kaufman County.
At approximately 4:57 a.m., on September 12, 2022, the Terrell Volunteer Fire Department was dispatched to a vehicle fire involving a double-combination truck-tractor trailer fire on IH-20 between Farm-to-Market (FM) 1641 and FM 148 — in between Forney and Terrell.
Upon arrival of Kaufman County Sheriff's Office deputies, a fire was confirmed near the right rear tire of the rear-most combination trailer. Deputies also reported small explosions coming from the trailer.
"Based on the information received and due to the location and distance to a water supply, TVFD requested an engine from Terrell Fire Department, City of Terrell and an engine/tanker from Forney Fire Department for mutual aid," read a statement from the Terrell Volunteer Fire Department.
"Engine 1 arrived to find heavy fire showing, with fire already spreading into the contents of the trailer, which consisted of a mixed load of packages in shipment containing all manner of contents. E1 initiated fire attack and was able to contain the fire in the rear corner. The fire was placed under control 18 minutes after TVFD arrived."
Following the containment of the fire, firefighters began removing a number of packages from the trailer to ensure there was no more fire and discovered the consumer-grade explosives, firearms, ammunition, and other items requiring special handling.
The Kaufman County Fire Marshal's Office, City of Mesquite Bomb Squad, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) responded to the scene to assist.
The Mesquite Bomb Squad disposed of the explosive material and the ATF traced two firearms recovered from the trailer.
Eastbound IH-20 was closed for the duration of the firefighting efforts and reopened at approximately 8:14 a.m.
A secondary crash was reported in the backup, which the Forney Fire Department responded to, according to fire officials.
