Man dies after jumping from burning truck on I-15 in Southern Utah

[HighDesertRam]

This is the second RAM truck that has been totally incinerated due to a vehicle fire here in the last three months. The first one burst into flames after a dealer had done work on it and the mechanic took it for a test drive on the freeway. This one happened about 30 miles from my home. I was told by one of our deputies they thought this was a 2012. I certainly don't know all the models well enough to recognize the differences.

UPDATED: Man dies after jumping from burning truck on I-15 in Southern Utah

PAROWAN — A man died Friday evening after jumping from his burning pickup truck on southbound Interstate 15 in Iron County, officials said. According to a news release from Utah Highway Patrol, at 7:25 p.m., a white Dodge Ram 2500 pickup truck was southbound on I-15 near mile marker 82, a few...

www.stgeorgeutah.com

 

[crash68]

Looks like the truck has Dual reflective headlights, so that supports the '12 model year(or earlier). Can't make out any badging but the owner probably peeled them, would be interesting to find out if it was gas or diesel.

 

[18CrewDually]

Looks to be an interior fire not engine bay. Who knows what the guy had going on. Just happens to be a Ram.

 

[turkeybird56]

I remember when the ED's were lighting up on the Highways, and I owned a Gen 2 ED at that time.

What is really skerry is all the EV junkola and lithium batteries. One of those puppies start on fire, U got a monster problem, and almost no way to stop the fire/ignition process on those battery packs.

 

[mtnrider]

Definitely a 4th gen, could be a 12, May even be a gas truck (by the pics and description of events I would almost bet it's a gas truck). Truck is also obviously modified so who knows what kind of "upgrades" were done that could have caused the fire. Don't panic too much OP.....

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[HighDesertRam]

Looks to be an interior fire not engine bay. Who knows what the guy had going on. Just happens to be a Ram.

According to the deputy I spoke to yesterday, the driveshaft came through the cab. I don't quite understand how that could happen.

 

[mtnrider]

According to the deputy I spoke to yesterday, the driveshaft came through the cab. I don't quite understand how that could happen.

It's an issue that can happen with the pre 14 trucks because people refuse to do their required maintenance (lube the front drive shaft) or replace worn u-joints.

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[18CrewDually]

According to the deputy I spoke to yesterday, the driveshaft came through the cab. I don't quite understand how that could happen.

Interesting but did that occur after the fire or before the fire? Maybe the driveshaft coming through the floor tore out and shorted wires to cause the fire. Seems a stretch .
Or did the failed ujoint and whipping driveshaft cause the t-case to break open, dumping hot ATF on the exhaust under the cab and burst into flames?
Maybe the shaft let go as it collided with objects and the ditch long after the fire.
Either way this is for the investigators to figure out but it seems isolated incident and I wouldn't lose sleep thinking my Ram will burst into flames while I'm going down the highway. This could happen to any truck IMO.

 

[mtnrider]

Interesting but did that occur after the fire or before the fire? Maybe the driveshaft coming through the floor tore out and shorted wires to cause the fire. Seems a stretch .
Or did the failed ujoint and whipping driveshaft cause the t-case to break open, dumping hot ATF on the exhaust under the cab and burst into flames?
Maybe the shaft let go as it collided with objects and the ditch long after the fire.
Either way this is for the investigators to figure out but it seems isolated incident and I wouldn't lose sleep thinking my Ram will burst into flames while I'm going down the highway. This could happen to any truck IMO.

I've seen a few cases of the front drive shaft letting loose (though never a fire). It can happen on the pre 14 trucks that don't have CAD axle disconnect and they don't do maintenance on the truck. Usually it breaks at the joint and wraps up a bunch of wiring, seen a few that also broke the front off the transfer case which is probably what happened here, spewing fluid and starting a fire. Like I said, lack of maintenance and an exaggerated drive shaft angle from the lift didn't help matters.

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[Daw14]

It’s the location not the truck .