Local trucker survives biggest fire in Utah's history

" He says it was like driving through an inferno. Fred Gonzales has seen a lot in his 15-plus years as a semi-trailer truck driver.

[HonkHonk]

You are one lucky mother trucker.

[Jenny N]

Only by the grace of God. Very lucky man.

[Gears]

Don't they have Reverse in those trucks? Even though it's hard to go in reverse, shouldn't he have disconnected his load & reversed his way out of there, until he could turn around?

[amilehigh]

maybe he was trying to beat his (DEADLINE)

[ThisAndThat]

Wow. He is one lucky dude! Maybe there wasn't even time to disconnect the rig. Some of those fires move so fast it's impossible to escape. This guy is really lucky he came out alive.

[Brad]

I went to the UDOT on Saturday and there is nothing about if the highway is open or not. Horrible website just like their terrible state troopers.

[Lizzie Style]

Gears wrote:

Don't they have Reverse in those trucks? Even though it's hard to go in reverse, shouldn't he have disconnected his load & reversed his way out of there, until he could turn around?

Sometimes there isn't enough time to disconnect the trailer from the tractor. You have to get out, pull the air lines, pull the 5th wheel, etc ... THAT alone, takes time.

He's one very lucky man!

[Proof]

Jenny N wrote:

Only by the grace of God. Very lucky man.

God had nothing to do with it, it was basic physics.

[Wildest1]

Another worry this long time trucker's wife (and DARN proud of it) will be adding to her ever growing list. The trucking angels were watching over him. He should have bought a lottery ticket. STAY SAFE ALL!

[Miss att Home]

Common sense for a Panhandle Gal you do not enter a prairie fire, smoke can be thicker that fog...Lost a couple classmates to a head on back when I was young.

[RTMAN]

New Sticker.........
"This Freight has passed thru the gates of hell" LOL

[ScottRB]

I dunno... a little bondo, some paint... good as new.
I wonder if the Chrome Shop Mafia could 'trick THIS truck'...
Glad you're safe.

[TLC]

Judging by the looks of the truck...he was very lucky!!

[DUH]

DUH Smoke means fire. Don't go where there is smoke!!

[J SHO]

Let's see.....trucker drives through inferno........two motorcyclists killed........um, hey Utah DOT, do you think maybe you ought to consider closing the interstate? Just a thought.

[jackson]

nightmare wrote:

<quoted text>
free to be the gutter slut you are?

Nightmare, you're an A-Hole.

[TitaniumRider]

I've got this image in my head of something out of a movie with this flaming Rig "appearing" through the smoke.

Definitely a story he'll tell a thousand times.

Friggen awesome!!!

And yeah, maybe it's time to shut down the highway.

[Caitlyn]

BADPC wrote:

I dont need someone to tell me not to drive over a cliff, and I dont need someone to tell me not to drive into dense smoke!!! This dude will not live long being so stupid!!!

He wasn't being stupid. Since the road wasn't closed to traffic, he naturally assumed (as would a lot of people) that it would be ok to continue on. After all, both I-70 at Richfield and I-15 between I-70 and Beaver were periodically closed last week because of the fire and smoke, so you'd think they'd close other roads if there was any immediate danger.
The stupid ones are the people at UDOT and the Utah HP for not closing down the stretch of I-15 that this lucky trucker was driving on, especially since that road is/was closer to the origin of the fire.

[Dave Smith]

I'd bet 90% of you would have done the same thing if you saw smoke and no troppers to tell you the highway was shut down. We bitch and moan soo much when they close the freeway, with no one there to say don't pass, we'd all floor it and hope for the best.

Unfortunately common sense is not a strong trait now-a-days, as evidence of the idiots on the road.

[bad day]

Could you imagine sitting on the other side of the smoke in your car thinking "wow that's alot of smoke." All the sudden that truck comes barreling through all a blaze. One thing would come to mind; OHHH SSSHHHHHHIIIIIITTTTTTTT!!!! YES!!!!!!(if the guy was alright of course).