Eighth Ward firefighters responded at 3:56am on Saturday morning to an 18-wheeler trailer fire at the entrance of the WalMart Distribution Center. The Firefighters arrived at the scene in three minutes and 30 seconds.

The trailer was loaded with palletized cardboard boxes of bagged apples and was approximately 100’ on Parkway Boulevard off Highway 190 which caused a massive traffic jam on Highway 190 and Parkway Boulevard. The driver of the vehicle had removed the tractor from the trailer prior to the arrival of the FIre Department.

The exploding tires of the trailer awakened nearby residents. The trailer was engulfed in flame with the largest flames and trailer damage over the rear axle. Firefighters faced extreme difficulty reaching the seat of the fire due to heavy smoke and shifting trailer contents.

The WalMart leadership team was on scene for the majority of the time and was extremely helpful. TPSO, LSP, and WDC personnel performed traffic control. Entergy was called due to nearby arcing power lines. Assets from Tangipahoa Parish assisted firefighters as well. Firefighters departed the scene over five hours after the initial alarm.