Arizona Department of Public Safety Investigates a Commercial Vehicle Fire involving one fatality

On April 8, 2010, at approximately 9:05 a.m. a 24-foot refrigerated box truck was traveling northbound on I-17 when the vehicle experienced some type of mechanical failure. The driver pulled the truck over to the left shoulder south of the Carefree highway where it struck the barrier wall rupturing the fuel tank. The truck became engulfed in flames. The driver who was deceased on scene, has been identified as, Bruce Lee Clinton, 52, of Phoenix, Ariz.

The truck, registered to Southwest Traders of Temecula, Calif., was carrying a load of produce.

An off-duty Phoenix firefighter tried to assist but could not get close to the vehicle due to the intensity of the fire. Both the northbound and southbound lanes of Interstate 17 were closed following the fire but they were reopened a short time later.