Smoldering Trailer on 299 This Morning Leaves Behind Questions (and a Smell)

Stock photo from a 2019 fire.

A trailer fire early this morning, March 18, along State Route 299 near mile marker 69.69 west of Buckhorn Summit left behind a wet, charred load of marijuana, a missing driver, and what might be one of the least convenient evidence to collect–bulky, smelly, wet, and soon to mold.

According to the California Highway Patrol Traffic Incident Information Page, the incident was first reported around 5:40 a.m. when a caller advised that a trailer was on fire and the truck towing it had already left the scene in an unknown direction—apparently opting out of both the fire and the follow-up questions.

Before fire crews arrived, a passerby reportedly stopped and attempted to extinguish the flames with a fire extinguisher. They reported a strong and unmistakable odor coming from the trailer’s contents.

A photo published by the Trinity Journal shows firefighters working to knock down the blaze while large bags of cannabis spilled out onto the roadway, turning the scene into a soggy, smoky tangle of green plant matter and contractor bags.

Lewiston Fire responded to the scene after being requested through the Trinity County Sheriff’s Office, and by about 7:46 a.m., crews were on site handling the smoldering remains. A flatbed tow from Buddy’s has been dispatched to haul away what was left of the trailer—and, presumably, the remains of its now thoroughly damp cargo.

Officials with CHP’s Trinity River Area office say the investigation is ongoing. The driver of the vehicle that had been towing the trailer has not been located.

What is clear is that the trailer didn’t get far, the load didn’t fare well, and whoever was responsible for transporting it is no longer around to explain how things went so thoroughly sideways.

As for first responders, they were left with the kind of task that likely wasn’t covered in training manuals: dealing with a wet, partially burned pile of marijuana on the side of the highway. However, they are located in the Emerald Triangle so this isn’t likely a new situation.

No injuries have been reported, and the cause of the fire remains under investigation. However, as one might imagine, the wet, stinky, soon to mold mess is not the kind of evidence locker addition any law enforcement is eager to sign up for.