NHTSA Complaint #10704799 — 2014 FREIGHTLINER CASCADIA

WE WERE ASLEEP IN THE TRUCK WITH THE CURTAINS CLOSED. THE ENGINE WAS RUNNING SMOOTHLY AND THE AIR CONDITIONING WAS BLOWING COLD AIR. WE WERE AWAKENED BY SOMEONE POUNDING ON OUR DOOR. WHEN I OPENED THE CURTAIN, THE LEFT SIDE OF THE WINDSHIELD WAS A SHEET OF FLAMES COMING OUT FROM UNDER THE HOOD. FLAMES WERE ALSO COMING OUT OF THE LEFT SIDE HOOD LATCH ACCESS HOLE AND COVERING THE LEFT SIDE WING WINDOW. WE EXITED THE TRUCK BY THE RIGHT SIDE DOOR AND TOOK A PICTURE OF THE FIRE WITHIN TWO MINUTES OF GETTING OUT. THIS PICTURE IS AVAILABLE. ANOTHER PICTURE WAS TAKEN BETWEEN 4 AND 6 MINUTES AFTER THE FIRST PICTURE. THIS PICTURE IS ALSO AVAILABLE. MY WIFE WAS DEEPLY ASLEEP, BUT I WAS SLEEPING LIGHTLY HAVING GONE TO BED SHORTLY BEFORE THE FIRE. MY WIFE AND I WERE BOTH AWAKENED BY LOUD VOICES OUTSIDE THE TRUCK. OUR DOG WAS ALSO AWAKENED BY THE LOUD VOICES. OUR DOG GAVE TWO SHARP BARKS OF WARNING, AND THE VOICES STOPPED. WE THOUGHT IT WAS A PARKING LOT ALTERCATION. WE ALL LAY OUR HEADS BACK DOWN TO RETURN TO SLEEP. OUR DOG IS QUITE FRIGHTENED OF FIRE, OR THE SMELL OF SMOKE. NONE OF US DETECTED ANYTHING AMISS AT ALL; NO ALTERATION IN THE ENGINE SOUND, VARIATION IN THE TEMPERATURE OF THE AIR CONDITIONING, OR OTHER NOISES OR ODORS. IN THE COURSE OF ABOUT 30 MINUTES, THE TRUCK BURNED, LITERALLY TO THE GROUND. PICTURES OF THE BURNED OUT CARCASS ARE ALSO AVAILABLE. THE COMPANY'S INSURANCE ADJUSTER SAID THAT THERE WAS NOT ENOUGH OF THE TRUCK LEFT FROM WHICH TO DRAW ANY FORENSIC CONCLUSIONS. *TR