Driver uninjured

Truck burns out completely on highway

(Bild: Feuerwehr Nestelbach)

A terrifying moment for a truck driver Wednesday morning on the southern highway: his load suddenly started to burn near Laßnitzhöhe.

The truck driver was traveling on the A2 in the direction of Vienna when he suddenly saw smoke rising in his rear-view mirror. The 31-year-old drove to the Laßnitzhöhe-Süd parking lot and began unloading his load, which consisted of oil-soaked rags. When he tried to drive away from the burning trailer, this was impossible as the truck was already blocked due to the burnt brake lines.

When the fire department arrived, the vehicle was already fully engulfed in flames. The Nestelbach, Autal, Raaba and Feldkirchen fire departments were deployed with nine vehicles and 56 personnel and were able to extinguish the fire. The cause was subsequently determined to be spontaneous combustion. The driver remained uninjured.