MAN blaze sees
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170,000 lost
II A Bedfordshire haulier has had almost £70,000 go up in smoke after its six-month-old MAN was gutted by fire.
The MAN TG-A XL operated by Bedford-based RJC Low Loaders, was being driven by stand-in driver Peter Mullett when he noticed smoke coming from behind the dashboard. He pulled over and attempted to tackle the fire but due to its location he was unable to put it out.
Four fire engines from Rushden and surrounding areas quickly brought the blaze under control, but the heat from the fire was such that nearby houses had to be evacuated and two were damaged by the smoke and flames.
RJC director Ray Crawley says the incident could have been a lot worse: "The truck was actually booked an the boat to go to Germany that night, so we are very glad that it didn't happen there or it could have been disastrous.
"The regular driver was having a day off but was due to take it over that evening so he had all his kit in the truck. He actually went down to the scene to get his passport, but to be honest there wasn't an awful lot of the cab left never mind the passport."
A spokesman for Northamptonshire fire brigade says the blaze is believed to have been caused by an electrical fault.