TAFT, Calif., Early Tuesday morning, Kern County firefighters were dispatched to reports of a large vehicle on fire. The reports stated loud popping was heard and a vehicle in the parking lot of the Western Inn was burning. Initial reports also stated that the hotel was well involved with fire. Upon arrival, firefighters encountered a tanker truck specially designed for the transportation of liquid asphalt or bitumen fully involved with fire. Some of the contents of the tanker had spilled out and was running across the parking lot, but the hotel was not on fire. Officers from the Taft Police Department were on scene and had evacuated all occupants of the hotel. Firefighters achieved a knockdown of the fire 30 minutes after arrival. The scene was left under the authority of Taft PD and Kern County Environmental Health for the coordination of site cleanup after the fire was fully extinguished. No injuries were reported on scene by civilians or firefighters.

Photos by Doug Keeler of the Taft Midway Driller