On May, 15, at approximately 11:44 a.m., emergency personnel responded to the area of State Road 60 East and Blue River bridge, in reference to a tractor trailer fire.
The driver was identified as Robert Atherton of Martinsville, Indiana. Atherton advised the deputies that the rear trailer tires and the rear of the trailer became engulfed in flames. Atherton said he pulled over and unhooked the Kenworth tractor from the trailer, which was full of sawdust and also on fire.
Members of the Salem City Fire Department arrived on the scene and extinguished the fire. Both lanes of State Road 60 were closed for nearly five hours.
Detective Brad Naugle was the investigating officer and was assisted by Captain Chad Webb, Deputy Tory Hildreth and members of the Salem Fire Department.
Photo provided by Detective Brad Naugle.