The driver involved in a Monday dump truck fire on Highway 82 west of Columbus has been identified as Oktibbeha County Road Department employee Bud Hogan.
Hogan pulled over in the dump truck he was driving on Highway 82 Monday after noticing a rear tire had caught fire.
After Hogan exited the vehicle, more of its tires caught fire and burned off the truck, said Brian Mobley, a public affairs officer with the Mississippi Highway Patrol.
Hogan wasn”t injured during the incident.
Several agencies responded to a 911 call about the fire. The Mississippi Highway Patrol stopped traffic, allowing Lowndes County volunteer firefighters to reach the scene.
Vehicles headed westbound on 82 sat idle for more than an hour. One car was seen moving backward toward Columbus on the right shoulder to escape the traffic congestion.
The state Highway Patrol did not create an accident report, Mobley said.
Hogan could not be reached for comment Tuesday.
The Dispatch Editorial Board is made up of publisher Peter Imes, columnist Slim Smith, managing editor Zack Plair and senior newsroom staff.
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