WILTON – Three vehicles were destroyed after a pickup truck caught fire in the parking lot of the Comfort Inn in Wilton early Saturday morning. A fourth vehicle sustained minor damage, according to Wilton Fire Chief Sonny Dunham.

Dunham said he got a call at 2:36 a.m., when a Comfort Inn employee reported a vehicle had exploded in the parking lot.

“What they thought was an explosion was actually the truck’s tires blowing from the heat,” said Dunham, after a mechanical issue started a fire.

The 2004 Ford pickup was completely engulfed, and the heat caused the vehicles on either side of it to ignite as well: on the right side, a Dodge Durango and on the left, a 2014 Hyundai.

On the other side of the Hyundai was a 2018 Dodge Journey. The heat from the Hyundai caused the taillight assembly to melt and bubble, and also melted a side-view mirror, according to fire officials.

The Farmington Fire Department was called to the scene, as was the Department of Environmental Protection, due to leaking fluids from the burning vehicles.

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The fire marshal said the cause of the fire was a mechanical issue.

According to Dunham, the owner of the Ford pickup had stopped at the inn to spend the night because his truck was having “problems.”

“Apparently the problems were more serious than originally thought,” said Dunham.

All four vehicles involved were insured. No injuries were reported.

emarquis@sunmediagroup.net


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