Des Plaines truck fire spreads to forest preserve
A pickup truck and trailer caught fire Sunday evening in Des Plaines, shutting down River Road, injuring a firefighter and setting ablaze a nearby wooded area, authorities said.
Crews responded just after 6 p.m. to a report of a fire that had started in the trailer that was carrying vehicles inside, Des Plaines Fire Chief Alan Wax said. When they arrived, the trailer was fully engulfed in flames, and the fire had spread to the pickup truck, as well as to adjacent forest preserve property, he said.
The driver of the truck had attempted to put out the blaze with a fire extinguisher, Wax said, "but the fire was just too big at that point." He was not injured.
The truck and trailer were in the far right lane of northbound River Road, which was shut down for about two hours just north of Devon Avenue across from Rivers Casino, Wax said. The fire was extinguished by 6:38 p.m.
One firefighter was taken to the hospital with minor injuries, treated and released, Wax said.
At 8:30 p.m., the truck and burned-out husk of the trailer remained parked on River Road. Police were directing traffic around the wreckage.
The cause of the fire is under investigation.
• Daily Herald staff writer Russell Lissau contributed to this report.