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0 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? e-edition | subscribe | newsletter | deals Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » NEWS NOW Robber who wore underwear on head gets prison time ... Secret chapter of 9/11 inquiry released after 13-year wait ... Businesses, drivers mixed on Highway 62 project impact ... Robber who wore underwear on head gets prison time ... Secret chapter of 9/11 inquiry released after 13-year wait ... Businesses, drivers mixed on Highway 62 project impact ... Semi with burning load escorted 30 miles to White City Comment By Nick Morgan Mail Tribune Follow @@mtcrimebeat MailTribune.com By Nick Morgan Mail Tribune Follow @@mtcrimebeat Posted Jul. 14, 2016 at 2:07 PM Updated Jul 14, 2016 at 4:56 PM By Nick Morgan Mail Tribune Follow @@mtcrimebeat Posted Jul. 14, 2016 at 2:07 PM Updated Jul 14, 2016 at 4:56 PM » Social News Fire crews escorted a semi pulling a trailer full of burning wood chips roughly 30 miles to White City so they could safely unload its cargo early this morning. The RB Browns semi-truck caught fire at about 4 a.m. on northbound Interstate 5 at milepost 60, just before the Merlin exit. The truck was headed to Toledo, according to Rural Metro Fire Operations Chief Austin Prince. Rural Metro Fire and Grants Pass Fire crews doused the wood chips with water but believed the only way to ensure the fire was out was to unload the cargo. "The fire was actually in the chip load," Prince said. On the ground, accessing the wood chips from a trailer designed to be emptied from the top proved to be a challenge. The cargo is unloaded by using machinery to tip the entire trailer in the air, Prince said. The closest area that could unload such a trailer was in White City. The fire hadn't affected the truck's drive train or the trailer wheels, so crews doused the cargo with water from a hole cut in the side of the trailer. Rural Metro Fire escorted the truck along I-5 southbound to exit 35, where they handed the truck off to Jackson County Fire District 3 to complete the escort to a White City trucking yard. Crews observed the trailer for embers and smoke until the truck arrived successfully at 6:24 a.m. "It was kind of a coordinated effort, if you will," Prince said. The fire was caused by a trailer tire that wore a hole into the wood decking on the truck's trailer bed. Friction from the tire caused the wood chips inside to ignite, Prince said. The bulk of the load was saved, according to Travis Anderson with RB Browns Trucking, who described the fire departments' response as "very, very rare." Prince said the fire was an "absolute contrast" to a banana truck fire Wednesday near Ashland, in which overheated brakes lit a blaze that destroyed a trailer and caused delays to northbound Interstate 5 for almost three hours. "All fires start small, but sometimes we get them put out quick," Prince said. Reach reporter Nick Morgan at 541-776-4471 or [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter at @MTCrimeBeat. By Nick Morgan Mail Tribune Follow @@mtcrimebeat MailTribune.com By Nick Morgan Mail Tribune Follow @@mtcrimebeat Posted Jul. 14, 2016 at 2:07 PM Updated Jul 14, 2016 at 4:56 PM » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Southern Oregon Directory Featured Businesses Loading... Business Name address Location, ST | website.com Find Southern Oregon Attractions Bars Restaurants Beauty Salons Entertainment Doctors Medical Specialists Contractors Education Lawn Services Lawyers Shopping Travel Tanning Used Cars Wedding Services ▼ Add your business here + Events Calendar Connect with MailTribune.com Facebook Twitter RSS Back to top Reader Services Reader Services Home Subscriptions Subscriber controls Contact us Submissions Photos Events Letters to the editor Corrections Announcements Obituaries Story ideas Since you asked Alerts Email Alerts RSS Feeds Text Alerts Advertise Media Kit Home Products and services Ad rates Advertising contacts Propel Marketing Mail Tribune Daily Tidings The Nickel Shop Our Valley Blogs Mobile Site Stay Informed Email newsletter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Your privacy is important, read our privacy policy. © Copyright 2016 Local Media Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms of Service | Local Media Group Publications Original content available for non-commercial use under a Creative Commons license, except where noted. MailTribune.com | P.O. Box 1108, Medford, OR 97501