Drivers on the 101 northbound around 6 p.m. on Thursday night may have been alarmed to see a standalone pickup truck pulled over on the right-hand shoulder of the Patterson Avenue off-ramp in Santa Barbara, completely engulfed in flames.
The Ford F150 Hybrid was on the side of the highway with fire erupting from its engine. According to the California Highway Patrol’s incident report, the fire was called in around 6:10 p.m., and highway patrol officers and the Santa Barbara County Fire Department’s two engines and battalion chief were quick to arrive on scene. The cause of the fire is still under investigation.
No other vehicles were reportedly involved in the incident, and no injuries were reported, according to Scott Safechuck, County Fire spokesperson. The fire was knocked down before 7 p.m., leaving the Patterson off-ramp closed for a period of time Thursday night. The off-ramp has since been reopened.
