When a vehicle catches fire it’s bad enough. But add to that equation 80 gallons of diesel fuel and nearly 9,000 gallons of gasoline and you’ve got a situation that would cause concern in even the most experienced first responder.

Fortunately for residents along the Cecil Jackson Bypass in Selma, local authorities, starting with the Selma Fire Department, run through that type of scenario and many others all the time.

That scenario played out in real life Saturday morning as a tanker, transporting gasoline through Selma had its brakes lock up, catch fire and nearly create a horrific disaster.

“The driver noticed the fire, pulled the truck over to an area that was far enough away from traffic and houses and then got out,” Capt. Dale Duke, with the Selma Police Department, said. “He got out and then called us. He did a great job.”

When fire departments arrived, they found the brakes on fire, the tires on fire and the truck’s frame beginning to melt. Thankfully, the fuel within the tank and the diesel inside the truck’s tanks had not caught fire.

Duke said units from Sardis and Craig Field joined the Selma Fire Department in responding. Alabama State Troopers, Dallas County Sheriff’s Department personnel, and officers with the Selma Police Department also contributed, rerouting traffic from the normally busy bypass.

Care Ambulance was also on site, providing triage care and caring for responders who became overheated in the hot weather.

Once firefighters arrived, they were able to quickly douse the area with foam, before using 20,000 gallons of water to both further extinguish the fire and keep the tanker cool.

The incident, which happened around 10:30 a.m., caused traffic diversions until mid-afternoon when authorities were able to unload the more than 9,000 gallons of gasoline and diesel onto another tanker.

No one was injured in the incident.