Editor's Note: This story has been updated with new information from the Liberty Volunteer Fire Department.
Two Liberty firefighters escaped from their grass fire truck after it went up in flames on Wednesday.
Crews were mopping up hot spots when Firefighters Matt Reuss and Jeff Moles were driving across a previously scorched field to fill up with water when the truck stalled out.
“The truck died in the bottom of the field,” Reuss told the Pal-Item newspaper. “I got it started and was driving uphill when (farmer) Kevin Pinkerton yelled, ‘Your truck is on fire.’”
The earlier report from the Pal-Item newspaper that a wind shift sent the grass fire towards the rig is incorrect, Liberty VFD Training Officer Nate Stevens told Firehouse.com Sunday afternoon.
"We're still not 100 percent sure whether it was a mechanical issue or if an ember was sucked into the truck's air intake," Stevens said.
The cause of the fire, which destroyed the 20-year-old rig, is under investigation.
Mutual aid was called for to help mop up the hot spots.
"The truck was 200 yards out in a muddy cornfield, so when mutual aid arrived there was nothing they could do," said Stevens.
Stevens said the insurance money they will receive will not be enough to purchase a new truck.
They set up a GoFundMe.com page to help collect money to help find a replacement.
“It’s a rough time of year not to have a grass truck,” Reuss said.
Blooming Grove, College Corner and Everton firefighters responded to help Liberty crews.
