Semi catches fire on I-15 in Virgin River Gorge

A semitractor-trailer fire on the Arizona stretch of Interstate 15 was quickly extinguished thanks to the efforts of area firefighters Thursday afternoon.

The driver of a FedEx semi hauling three trailers noticed smoke coming off the third trailer and pulled over in the area of milepost 25 on southbound I-15 in the Virgin River Gorge.

A fire ignited in the rear axle of the third trailer and was either triggered by a tire blowing out or a brake malfunction.

According to firefighters,  the situation could have gone from a fire on the edge of the trailer to a fully engulfed semi if the trailer cargo – an entire load of lithium-ion batteries – had caught fire.