Wild hog blamed for trailer fire

Rufino Alearo, 55, of Houston, was able to escape an inferno when his tractor trailer overturned along State Highway 105 and erupted in flames Thursday, March 28.

According to Department of Public Safety reports, Alearo was traveling westbound in a 1998 Freightliner tractor trailer hauling a load of sand when the vehicle overturned. Emergency personnel responded to the scene at 12:32 p.m. Alearo told responders that he was approaching the curve when a wild hog crossed in front of the truck and he braked and swerved to avoid the animal. The weight of the load shifted, causing the truck and trailer to overturn onto the passenger side of the vehicle. The rig slid along its side, coming to rest in the roadway near FM 2445, just outside of Stoneham. The vehicle caught on fire, but Alearo was able to escape without injury.

“Alearo was treated on scene but refused to be transmitted from the scene via ambulance,” said DPS Sergeant Jimmy Morgan.

According to Morgan, traffic was delayed for several hours to allow the scene to be cleared, while hazmat crews were called in to remove approximately 200 gallons of diesel fuel that leaked from the truck. There were no charges filed in regards to the incident.