Truck fire

Bartley firefighters Jim Foster, left, and fire chief Dusty Morris, examine what’s left of an eastbound semi-truck destroyed by fire in Bartley about 6 p.m., Thursday. Owner/driver Seth Stone of McCook said he pulled onto the shoulder of Highway 6-34 when he noticed smoke coming through vents into the cab. As thick smoke blew into his face and “flames came at me,” he grabbed his headset and cell phone and bailed out. He wasn’t injured, but his 1996 Peterbilt semi-truck wasn’t so lucky. Stone is suspecting an electrical problem caused the fire. Stone’s trailer and its load of grain, bound for Omaha, wasn’t damaged. Stone said he and his partner just bought a new semi-truck a week ago, and his partner was to drive it from Lincoln to take the trailer-load of grain on to Omaha.