(La Porte County, IN) - A dump truck fire closed a stretch of State Road 39 near Springville yesterday afternoon.

According to La Porte County Police, the driver was just north of U.S. 20 when he pulled onto the shoulder of the two lane highway due to smoke coming from the engine compartment and stepped out of the cab.

Soon, police said flames emerged and quickly engulfed the 1999 Ford dump truck. 

That stretch of highway was shutdown to keep passing vehicles potentially out of harm’s way, police said.   The Center Township Volunteer Fire Department came out and put out the flames.

The dump truck registered in Michigan was towed to an auto yard in New Buffalo.