ACFR extinguishes I-75 vehicle fire

Jan 12, 2023 9:47 am

Alachua County Fire Rescue and the Micanopy Fire Department extinguished a vehicle on fire along I-75 in Paynes Prairie south of Gainesville on Wednesday afternoon. (Courtesy of ACFR)

Courtesy of ACFR

A vehicle that had firearms, ammunition and propane tanks caught fire along I-75 along the roadway in Paynes Prairie on Wednesday.

According to an Alachua County Fire Rescue (ACFR) release, ACFR and Micanopy Fire Department responded at 1:36 p.m. to a vehicle fire at mile marker 378 south of the Williston exit.

Initially, the Alachua County Sheriff’s Office (ACSO) arrived on scene and shut down I-75 in both directions for safety after discovering the vehicle contained propane tanks, firearms and ammunition.

Fire units arrived and brought the blaze under control, but ammunition was heard exploding within the vehicle. The propane tanks were removed prior to the vehicle catching fire and once the blaze – which also spread to roadside brush – was brought under control with no further hazards present, I-75 was reopened.