MARIPOSA COUNTY, CALIFORNIA — A cement truck that lost control, clipped a guardrail, and flipped on a winding stretch of Highway 140 near Yosemite on Tuesday afternoon ignited a fast-moving wildfire after liquid from the truck leaked and caught fire — with dashcam footage from a tour bus capturing the heart-stopping moment the truck slid down the road and came to a stop just inches from the bus.
The footage, released by Extranomical Tours, shows the cement truck rounding a corner on Highway 140 around 1:30 p.m. before clipping a guardrail and flipping. The truck slid down the narrow road at speed, tapped the tour bus, and came to a stop in a cloud of smoke just inches away. The bus driver, who had no guests on board at the time, watched it unfold. Liquid from the truck then leaked out and ignited, sparking what became the Colorado Fire.
As of Tuesday night the Colorado Fire had burned approximately 250 acres in the Midpines area near Highway 140 and Colorado Road and was at zero percent containment. The fire was moving at a moderate rate of spread toward the Merced River drainage. Evacuation orders were issued for Mariposa zones 546, 548, and 549. Evacuation warnings were issued for zones 550 and 551.
Cal Fire’s Madera-Mariposa-Merced Unit deployed 126 personnel supported by 14 fire engines, four helicopters, three water tenders, two bulldozers, three hand crews, and numerous air tankers. Crews were working to construct control lines north of Colorado Road, east of Telegraph Road, west of Buffalo Road, and south of the Merced River. Aerial firefighting units were dumping water on the fire Tuesday evening with crews continuing the fight through the night.
Highway 140 was closed from Briceburg to the Bug Hostel. Rancheria Creek Road was also closed.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation.
📸 Image(s) used under fair use for news reporting.
