FELTON — At about 10:30 p.m. Tuesday night, a large truck veered off the roadway on San Lorenzo Avenue in Felton, flipping over and bursting into flames.
Felton Fire, Cal Fire and other agencies arrived on the scene within minutes and were able to contain the blaze before it spread further into the surrounding Redwood forest.
Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Sgt. Brian Cleveland said that when officers first arrived on scene, they searched the truck cab and trailer but no drivers or passengers were found.
ABOVE: Firefighters from Cal Fire, Felton Fire and other agencies worked to contain the blaze. (Courtesy of the Santa Cruz Sheriff’s Office)
The California Highway Patrol has taken lead in the investigation, which is still ongoing.
CHP officer Sam Courtney said it was still early to tell how the incident occurred — especially since no one was found at the scene. The agency is considering if the truck had been stolen, or a runaway that did not have its parking brake engaged.
“We don’t have all the answers just yet,” Courtney said. “We’ll definitely be looking into it.”
Meanwhile, the 17-acre Rincon Fire, which broke out late Saturday night just south of the incident in the Santa Cruz Mountains near Paradise Park, continues to smolder.
The fire forced mandatory evacuations and closed roads over the weekend. As of Wednesday morning, Highway 9 has reopened, most evacuations have been lifted, and the fire is about 65 percent contained.
