SCANDAL on the motorway: truck carrying toluene catches fire – huge closure!

SCANDAL on the motorway: truck carrying toluene catches fire – huge closure!

On Monday, July 14th, 2025, the A81 motorway between Sulz am Neckar and Empfingen revealed an absolute horror scenario that took every road user's breath away! AN INCREDIBLE thing happened when a truck fully loaded with highly flammable toluene, an organic solvent, was turned into a burning hell! [Schwäbische] reports that the monster on wheels started to lurch, hit the guardrail with full force and finally tipped over before the flames blazing out of the vehicle!

The highway was completely closed in both directions, and the fire department's tactics proved to be a herculean challenge. HUNDREDS of emergency services rushed to the scene to bring the impending inferno under control. A large alarm area was set up - even surrounding cities such as Albstadt and Tübingen were affected when the population was asked via warning apps to keep windows and doors closed and to switch off their ventilation systems! A SHOCKING level of congestion was the result - up to FIVE kilometers of traffic in both directions with a shocking loss of AT LEAST an hour! Parents and children were panic-stricken as they were stuck in their cars hearing the terrible news.

Dangerous Goods and Chaos: A Recipe for Disaster

The increase in truck fires on highways has increased dramatically in recent years, and the causes are alarming! The main causes, such as technical defects, overheating of the brakes and improper loading, are obvious. [FireWorld] emphasizes that these transports pose an existential threat not only to the drivers, but to ALL road users! When drivers overload their vehicles, they ignore the alarming signs, which can end in an infernal sea of ​​flames that paralyzes all traffic within seconds!

But not only that! The risk to themselves and other road users driving into the starving flames is overwhelming. Fires far away from hazardous substances such as toluene could be triggered by seemingly harmless charges such as spray cans or lithium-ion batteries! [ADAC] warns that it is often too late to take the right measures when the fire is already raging!

A horror that will remain

A blessing in disguise: the trucker survived with minor injuries! But what would have happened if the fire department hadn't been there so quickly? Unimaginable damage could result, both to vehicles and to the infrastructure! Fires that cost thousands of euros and caused closures for days - the frightening memories will stay with everyone on the A81 in the weeks and months to come!

The frightening reality is that each of these incidents is another sign of our times! In order to defuse these devilish acts, regular maintenance and training are essential. Drivers must be trained to recognize sources of danger! [ADAC] appeals to everyone to be vigilant and to take their own responsibility seriously! Next time, the horrific nightmare might not just be chaos on the highway, but a game with your own life! Shocked by these derailments on our roads, we are left with only questions about a dangerous time full of risks!