Florida Walmart evacuates after delivery truck explodes
A Walmart superstore in Florida was forced to evacuate on Black Friday when a tractor-trailer exploded and burst into flames in the parking lot, according to reports.
No injuries were reported and the store has since reopened.
The inferno erupted just minutes after the store opened on one of the busiest shopping days of the year. Flames quickly spread to two other semi-trucks also parked near the building, reports said.
A police officer stationed at the Cortez Boulevard store in Brooksville reported hearing an explosion just after 5 a.m. on the other side of the building, according to the Hernando County Sheriff’s Office.
The deputy scrambled to the scene and helped a person in one of the trucks to safety, NBC reported.
Fire crews were able to put out the blaze before 8 a.m., reports said.
Photos from the scene showed the charred remnants of two haulers.
The fire likely began inside one of the parked trailers, but the company has not yet revealed what was inside.
A driver of one of the semis said he parked his rig in the loading area, walked inside the store and heard an explosion, according to WFTS, the ABC affiliate in Tampa Bay.
Fire officials are still trying to determine the cause.
About the Author
ArLuther Lee is a visual editor and occasionally covers national and world news for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. He holds a bachelor's degree in journalism from The University of Florida and has been a journalist for more than 25 years.
