Ponta Grossa truck fire occurs seconds after passenger rescue

A 22-year-old passenger was rescued from the wreckage of a truck just seconds before its 29-ton cargo of cotton ignited on the PR-151 highway in Ponta Grossa, Paraná.

The accident occurred around 3:00 PM on Tuesday when the vehicle overturned while navigating a curve on the access ramp to the city's urban perimeter. While the 29-year-old driver escaped without injury, the passenger remained trapped in the cabin and required rescue by emergency services. She was subsequently taken to a local urgent care unit with moderate injuries.

According to the State Highway Police (PRE), the fire was caused by spontaneous combustion of the cotton load, a phenomenon where material ignites without an external heat source. The flames quickly consumed the vehicle's bodywork. Authorities are investigating the specific circumstances that led to the truck overturning.