Butane truck burns on Western Highway

Traffic on the Western Highway came to a standstill late this afternoon after a gas truck caught fire. According to fire officials, the call came in just after four that a truck was engulfed in flames near mile six and within minutes of their arrival, the blaze had been extinguished. Thankfully, the BWEL butane truck travelling from Belmopan to Belize City was empty, but according to the driver, thirty-three year old Pedro Barientos, it was still a scary scene.

Janelle Chanona

“So there was an explosion? Fire?”

Pedro Barientos, BWEL Truck Driver (Translated from Spanish)

“When I look, the truck shut down and it could move. I tried to pull over to the side of the road, I grabbed the extinguisher but it didn’t work. I threw water but that didn’t help. So I thought it was better that I come over here and left the truck there because I thought it might explode and I didn’t want to get killed.”

Besides being a little shell shocked, the driver escaped unhurt. Traffic was allowed through after police and fire officials declared the stretch of highway safe for motorists. The cause of the blaze has not yet been pinpointed.