Atlantic Fire and Medivac Ambulance were called to the scene of what was initially thought to be a structure fire at 200 Oak Street. Fire Chief Mark McNees said Atlantic Police Officer Dave Erickson saw flames coming from what he thought was the building, owned by R&B Feeds, at around 9:08-p.m.

Atlantic Fire on the scene at 200 Oak St. Thursday night, near R & B Feeds.

McNees said when the first fire crews arrived, the saw a diesel pickup truck with its engine block plugged in to a core heater, in preparation for use on Friday. He said the electrical cord to the core heater apparently shorted out and caught the engine compartment on fire.

The truck was parked between a delivery truck and some bulk tanks, somewhat hidden from view. McNees credits Officer Erickson for noticing the flames when he did, before the fire spread to the building, approximately four-feet away. McNees said a City of Atlantic Maintenance worker also saw the flames and reported them to 9-1-1, at about the same time. He said when firefighters  first arrived, all the crews could see was a large glow and smoke.  It wasn’t clear at the onset, exactly what was on fire.

Some loud bangs heard shortly after firefighters arrived were the sounds of the front tires of the truck exploding from the heat and flames.The full-sized Ford truck was a total loss.