Semi fire
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ENSIGN TOWNSHIP -- A fire that caused traffic backups on U.S. 2 in eastern Ensign Township on Friday afternoon completely destroyed the cab of a tractor-trailer.
The call about an automobile on fire came in to Delta County Central Dispatch around 2:20 p.m. First reports stated that the vehicle was on the highway near AA.25 Road.
The semi on fire was unoccupied; it had been in accident earlier and was being towed by another large truck. Upon observing smoke coming from the disabled vehicle, the tow truck driver pulled over.
He tried first to put out the fire with an extinguisher. When that failed, he called 9-1-1, disconnected the tanker from the blazing tractor cab and pulled the cab out of range of the tank, Ensign Fire Chief Alan Novak relayed later.
Dispatch requested response from multiple agencies; the fire departments from Masonville, Ensign, Nahma and Garden Townships were all called. Additional units, like Brampton, were on standby. Escanaba Township was nearly on scene when called off.
A heavy cloud of black smoke was seen from miles away as responders and others approached the scene.
The tractor was fully-engulfed when responders began working to put the fire out. Firefighters managed to control it fairly quickly, terminating the need for additional mutual aid.
By about 2:45 p.m., those on scene were making arrangements for cleanup.