Quick Thinking Trucker Saves Man From Upper Mac Blaze

The quick thinking of an Illinois man saved the life of a truck driver who was asleep while his tractor-trailor was on fire while parked at the Schantz Road Wawa in Upper Macungie Township Wednesday night. 

Station 56 fire officials say Mark Earl, of Sterling, Ill., was walking his dog at approximately 6:30 p.m. when he saw flames erupting from a 2001 Peterbilt truck where Larry Fischer of Etters was asleep in the truck's cab.

Earl pounded on the cab's door in a failed attempt to wake Fischer, then used the air horn on his own truck to rouse the sleeping man.

Upper Macungie fire officials said high winds quickly spread the blaze to the truck's cab and Fischer escaped uninjured, but didn't have time to take his shoes, wallet or other personal possessions.

Station 56 Fire Marshal Sam Ashmar said the truck was fully involved in flames within three minutes. The fire remains under investigation.

Firefighters from Upper Macungie Township Station 56, Goodwill  Fire Co. #1 Trexlertown and Fogelsville Volunteer Fire Co. responded to and extinguished the 6:27 p.m. blaze.

Two firefighters were transported to the hospital for minor injuries and later released.