Fire department responds to blazing brakes

Published 10:08 am Thursday, January 19, 2017

A report of a semi with its rear tires on fire drew both the Austin police and fire departments to Kwik Trip on 10th Place Northeast early Thursday morning.

Police Chief Brian Krueger said the departments were called just after 1 a.m. to the store. Upon arrival, they found the rear tires of the trailer, parked about 100 feet from the store’s gas pumps, were on fire.

Austin firefighters quickly extinguished the blaze, said Krueger. There was no damage estimate.

Email newsletter signup

According to the report, the driver, Bradley Vanmersbergen, 41, of Oskaloosa, Iowa, was traveling on Interstate 90 when the light for his anti-locking braking system came on. He pulled off to inspect the brakes at Kwik Trip when he discovered his tires were on fire.

No injuries were reported.