A backyard barbecue is one thing. A barbecue in the bed of a pickup truck in the middle of the woods is something else entirely.
Summer is peak wildfire season in many parts of the country, and all it takes is one strong gust of wind for a small fire to spread into surrounding brush. That’s why officials routinely urge people to use extra caution with open flames, especially in wooded areas.
A truck bed also isn’t an ideal place for a hot grill. While the fuel tank isn’t necessarily at immediate risk, flames can quickly spread to other parts of the vehicle, turning a small mishap into a much larger emergency.
That’s exactly what happened in Florida when the owner of a Chevrolet Silverado found himself racing toward a river with the bed of his truck engulfed in flames. The dramatic rescue attempt was captured on video and has since gone viral on social media.
Chevy Silverado Driver Did the Right Thing
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According to a video shared by The Sun on Facebook, a silver Chevrolet Silverado was seen speeding along trails in Carrabelle, Florida, toward a nearby river.
The reason quickly became obvious. A barbecue grill that had been loaded into the truck bed had caught fire, and by the time the video begins, flames were already spreading across the rear of the pickup. Footage shows the Silverado crossing a bridge with the truck bed fully ablaze.
The driver then backed the truck into the river, apparently hoping the incline would be enough to submerge the burning bed and extinguish the fire. Unfortunately, that wasn’t enough.
The intense heat shattered the truck’s rear window, allowing smoke to pour into the cabin. Realizing the fire had gotten completely out of control, the driver continued to reverse until the truck began to sink.
He then swam safely to shore while the Silverado disappeared beneath the water a few moments later.
The video includes an eyewitness account explaining that people first tried to extinguish the fire with sand before resorting to the river.
“They tried to put it out with sand which didn’t work and then came speeding back and he backed it into the river and sank it.”
As unusual as it may seem, backing the truck into the river may have prevented a much larger disaster. Had the burning vehicle remained in the woods, the flames could have spread to nearby vegetation and potentially sparked a wildfire.
It’s also a reminder that anyone working around grills, campfires, or other high-heat equipment should keep a properly charged fire extinguisher within easy reach. If a fire is still small and it is safe to do so, a fire extinguisher can often stop it before it grows out of control.
It’s unknown whether the Silverado owner had an extinguisher available or whether it would have made a difference once the fire had spread. Unfortunately, depending on the cause of the fire and the driver’s insurance policy, damage from this type of incident may not necessarily be covered.
Users Say This Was Better Than Leaving the Truck Burning in the Woods
Facebook users had mixed reactions, although many agreed that sinking the truck was preferable to letting it continue burning in the middle of the woods.
One user wrote: “I guess better than leaving it to burn the woods down.”
Another added: “At least he prevented what could’ve been a serious forest fire.”
Not everyone agreed with the decision, however.
One commenter wrote: “And then polluted the river 👏”
Another questioned how the situation happened in the first place: “Who would think of putting a barbecue in the back of a car? 🤦🏼♀️🤦🏼♀️”
One user suggested there may have been another option before sacrificing the truck: “If he have dropped his tailgate that would have been a golden idea.”
And another summed up what many viewers were wondering: “How many beers were involved in these decisions? 🤔”