18-wheeler fire sets off propane bottles on U.S. 90

Dorothy Glover
July 30, 2007
Horace Scott
August 1, 2007
Dorothy Glover
July 30, 2007
Horace Scott
August 1, 2007

Motorists experienced a harried moment early Monday after a tractor-trailer hauling propane bottles caught fire on U.S. 90, state police said.


Shorly before 1 a.m., a motorist flagged down Delroy Bendix, 53, of Onalaska, Texas, the driver of the 18-wheeler, to tell him that smoke was coming from the rear of the rig, said Trooper Gilbert Dardar Jr., spokesman of Louisiana State Police Troop C.


Bendix pulled his eastbound rig to the shoulder of U.S. 90, near the elevated section of Louisiana Highway 311. The Texas man told state police that his rear tires were on fire when he stopped.

Dardar said Bendix attempted to put out the fire with a fire extinguisher, but the flame quickly became out of control.


Knowing he was hauling 1,152 propane bottles, Bendix took cover far away from the burning rig.

The entire tractor-trailer burned, and the 20-pound propane bottles exploded, sending debris flying in all directions, Dardar said.

Bendix was hauling the bottles from Livingston, Texas, to Harvey, La., according to state police.

Traffic in both directions along U.S. 90 was stopped while firefighters fought the blaze.

By 3:20 Monday, all highway traffic was reopened, Dardar said.