Saline County Sheriff's Office aids with non-suspicious rural county fire

A semi-truck at Palmer Towing after Saline County Rural Fire District Seven subdued the flames on Tuesday, April 23 north of Salina. <b>Image courtesy Saline County Sheriff's Office</b> — A semi-truck at Palmer Towing after Saline County Rural Fire District Seven subdued the flames on Tuesday, April 23 north of Salina. **Image courtesy Saline County Sheriff's Office**

By OLIVIA BERGMEIER
Lead Reporter - Salina Post

Saline County Sheriff's Office deputies responded to rural Saline County for a semi-truck and trailer on fire at a local towing company around 3:30 p.m. on Tuesday, April 23.

According to Saline County Undersheriff Brent Melander, Rural Fire District Seven requested traffic control at North Fifth Street and Pleasant Hill Road due to pockets of fire spreading from the semi-truck in and around the 2700 block of North Fifth Street.

"Once it was under control, we were informed that the property was Palmer Towing," Melander said. "Upon examination, it was discovered that a semi-trailer was separate [from the semi-truck], and it was damaged with an estimated $20,000 of damage."

The semi-trailer that sustained damage from the fire after Saline County Rural Fire District Seven subdued the flames on Tuesday, April 23 north of Salina. <b>Image courtesy Saline County Sheriff's Office</b> — The semi-trailer that sustained damage from the fire after Saline County Rural Fire District Seven subdued the flames on Tuesday, April 23 north of Salina. **Image courtesy Saline County Sheriff's Office**

Melander said the fire completely destroyed the semi-truck, causing a loss of $80,000. Palmer Towing owned both the semi-truck and trailer.

A T&R Construction employee reported the fire to authorities after dropping some items off at the next-door company location.

Rural Fire District Seven found no apparent cause of the fire and deemed it non-suspicious. The semi-truck's engine was not running while parked on the property.