GREENVILLE, S.C. (July 1, 2004) — A tractor trailer hauling Michelin tires burned June 29, destroying most of the tires, a spokesman for Michelin North America Inc. said.
A third party trucking company, Maderes Trucking, was hauling the tires from a Charlotte, N.C., rail load to a Laurens, S.C., distribution center owned by TNT Distribution, the spokesman said. The truck driver experienced a flat tire on his tractor, but it still is unclear how the fire started, he said.
The Michelin spokesman said the tire maker has not yet established the value of the tires lost, but local media reported that about $50,000 worth of tires were destroyed in the fire. The spokesman said the tires also may have been associate-brand tires instead of Michelin brand, though that is unclear.
No injuries were reported, the spokesman said. The truck driver had followed protocol and disconnected his trailer and pulled it forward.