(La Porte County, IN) - A fire Tuesday afternoon claimed a piece of heavy machinery belonging to the La Porte County Highway Department.

According to La Porte County Police, a highway department employee operating a tractor/mower was cutting grass along the edge of a roadway when he heard a “loud boom.”

The driver, Lee Wood, then discovered large flames shoot out from underneath the Kubota brand tractor.  Wood safely climbed down from the tractor before the rest of the machine caught fire, police said. 

Members of the Noble Township Volunteer Fire Department put out the blaze.

La Porte County Hazmat responded to the scene to clean up oil and other contaminants from the charred tractor/mower, which burned in the area of 800 South and Indiana 39.

No light was shed on the cause of the fire.