KERSHAW COUNTY, SC — No injuries were reported over the weekend when an 18-wheeler caught fire on US 601 just off I-20 in Kershaw County.

But diesel fuel leaked from the large truck, contaminating the roadside and a ditch, Lugoff Fire Chief Dennis Ray said. The SC Department of Health and Environmental Control contracted with a private hazardous waste crew to clean up the pollution.

Kershaw County firefighters from Lugoff and Doby’s Mill responded to the blaze, which had engulfed the truck cab by the time firefighters arrived.

The fire apparently began in the engine and was confined to the cab part of the vehicle. The cause is under investigation.

Ray said fighting tractor-trailer fires is “incredibly dangerous,” because if the fire spreads large amounts of diesel fuel can catch fire and the trucks high-pressure tires can explode.

The truck was operated by Schneider National. It was carrying a load from New Mexico to the Target Distribution Center in Lugoff. Officials did not disclose the truck’s contents.

John Monk