Several tractor trailers have burned in Kansas City in the past week. With so many instances of the big trucks catching on fire, 41 Action News wanted to find out why.
Jeffrey Steinberg, the owner of APEX CDL Institute in Kansas City, Kansas, shared his thoughts on some of these fires and what can cause them.
"The fire is usually a result of a fuel tank rupturing, maybe a fuel line rupturing and diesel fuel sprays out on a hot exhaust system or something and catches the vehicle on fire," he said.
Steinberg offered a couple of other instances that can lead to fires; tire friction and cargo overheating and combusting.
"A hundred degrees outside can translate to 125, 130 degrees in the back of a trailer. With low air circulation, that can cause things to catch on fire," he explained.
Most of all though, Steinberg stresses the importance of a thorough pre-trip inspection and tractor trailer drivers following safety measures on the road.
