Shortly before 5 p.m., a truck caught fire on the A20 motorway in the Lot, in the direction of Toulouse to Paris. The cause of the fire is still unknown. The two-story truck carrying 32 cows caught fire in the town of Francoules, north of Cahors, about 2 km after exit number 57.
The fire took place at PR 349 near Nadillac. Cahors firefighters are still trying to control the fire which did not cause injuries but several cows were hit by the flames.
Cattle being evacuated
Vinci Autoroute patrollers and gendarmes from the Cahors motorized platoon were also mobilized. Initial reports indicate that the fire started at the rear of the trailer. When the driver noticed, he stopped on the emergency stop lane. The driver would have opened the vehicle so that the animals could escape the flames. Only the 12 cows that were on the first floor of the trailer could be removed from the brazier. They therefore found themselves on the highway tracks, wandering before being captured and being evacuated in a cattle trailer. The driver then tried to extinguish the fire with the extinguishers that were in his vehicle: without success.
The other 20 cattle on the top floor were trapped by the flames. All took refuge at the front of the trailer. Rescuers encountered great difficulties in evacuating them: the gangway of the trailer was greatly damaged by the flames. The cylinders that support it are now unusable. No cow has yet been killed, but according to a veterinarian on site, one or two of them will probably have to be euthanized.
At 9 p.m., the highway was still cut in one direction of traffic. A diversion by exit number 57 has been implemented. A traffic jam of approximately 2km has formed upstream of the burning truck, says Bison Futé on his site.
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