FLAMES have gutted a truck on the Hume Highway following a tyre blowout.
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The fire started in the prime mover in the southbound lanes at Chiltern about 6.15pm on Wednesday.
The driver, a 45-year-old Goulburn man, tried to stop the flames with a fire extinguisher but was unable to do so.
He managed to uncouple the refrigerated trailer but the vehicle was engulfed.
Firefighters attended and no-one was injured in the incident.
Flames spread to nearby trees and were extinguished.
Firefighter Ashley Mills said the driver had been “very lucky” to get out of the truck.
The incident was escalated by firefighters once they realised it had spread into the forested area.
“(That) created a few issues for us,” he said.
Crews managed to keep the fire to a small area of about 30 by 50 metres.
The fire caused delays to southbound traffic on the freeway.
The incident occurred in hot conditions, with the temperature about 31 degrees.