The driver of an 18-wheeler hauling bread Tuesday was able to disconnect the tractor when a tire caught fire, but the trailer part of the rig was toast.
    Bulloch County Fire Capt. Christopher Ivey said volunteer firefighters were first dispatched shortly after 11 a.m. to the eastbound lane of Interstate 16 around mile marker 116, where a driver pulled over because of a “smoking tire,” he said.
    While firefighters were en route, the smoking rubber caught fire and turned into a blaze requiring two tankers and the assistance of a third from the Statesboro Fire Department, according to information dispatched over emergency responder radio channels.
    Bulloch County firefighters who first responded ran out of water, but less than a minute later, another tanker arrived and a water source was located for refilling the tankers, according to reports.
    Ivey said the quick thinking of the driver saved the tractor part of the truck, but the blaze quickly ignited the trailer filled with loaves of bread, and the flames were not extinguished until around 2:30 p.m.
    The trailer was a total loss.
    The cause of the fire is yet unknown. “Sometimes, air brakes lock up and cause fires,” Ivey said. “We’re not sure, but it could also have been a blowout.”
    No one was injured in the fire.
   
    Holli Deal Bragg maybe reached at (912) 489-9414.