A semi hauling an empty chip trailer was stopped as it entered the United States at the Grand Portage – Pigeon River Customs and Border Protection station for a routine inspection at about 3 a.m. on Thursday, August 7, 2014. The inspection was quickly halted when it was discovered that one of the trailer tires was on fire.
The driver of the Delmor Trucking Company semi, James Wilson of Murillo, Ontario, pulled the truck out from under the Port of Entry canopy into the parking area and he and CBP officers worked to remove the tractor from the trailer and to extinguish the fire.
CBP personnel called Cook County Law Enforcement at 3:12 a.m. and the Grand Portage Fire Department and Grand Portage Ambulance were paged. At 3:30 a.m. the Hovland and Colvill Fire Departments were paged and the Hovland department started to the border with two trucks. A Cook County Sheriff Deputy canceled the Hovland and Colvill departments at 4 a.m. as the fire was under control. All emergency responders were clear of the scene at 5:02 a.m.
According to CBP spokesperson Brian King, it appears that the brakes or axle bearing seized up while the truck was in motion and over heated. When the truck came to a stop, the fire took off. He said the trailer, which belonged to Hedstrom Lumber in Grand Marais, was a total loss. King said the fire was so hot that part of the aluminum walls and floor melted.
King reported that no one was injured in the incident and due to the limited traffic coming into the United States at that hour, no one was stopped or delayed entry to the country during the fire.
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