9 cars charred after auto transporter catches fire

HIALEAH, Fla. (WSVN) -- Nine vehicles have been destroyed after a big rig auto transporter caught fire, early Thursday morning.

The fire broke out at about 1:30 a.m. near the SR-112 eastbound entrance at Okeechobee Road. Officials said the driver was approaching the on-ramp when the fire sparked. "When we arrived, the tractor was fully engulfed with four other vehicles, which quickly spread to the rear," said Miami-Dade Fire Rescue Captain Andy Alvarez.

The driver escaped without injury, and no other vehicles were affected by the blaze. "I get out the car, and the car exploded immediately. It was unbelievable," said the big rig's driver, Bob Cantares. "It was very scary."

Firefighters from both Miami-Dade and Hialeah worked on extinguishing the blaze. "The biggest danger here is gonna be the types of metals these cars are made of. Most of them have magnesium, and when we put the water on the magnesium it starts an explosion type of reaction," Alvarez said.

The on-ramp to eastbound SR-112 was closed for several hours, causing traffic delays. The ramp has since reopened.

The driver said the blaze caused more than $200,000 in damages. Seven of the vehicles that were destroyed were on the way to Costa Rica.

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