A truck that was carrying 10 new Subaru cars in Boxford went up in flames early Tuesday morning, causing no injuries but severely damaging all of the vehicles.
The 18-wheel car-carrier was driving north on Interstate 95 at about 12:30 a.m. when the brakes began to stick and one of the wheels caught fire, said Boxford Fire Chief Kerry Stickney. The fire spread to one of the cars on the trailer and engulfed most of the other vehicles.
“It’s a common thing on buses and trailer-trucks for the brakes to start to grab, and the driver doesn't notice while the wheels just keep heating up, eventually catching fire,” Stickney said.
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Six cars on the trailer were completely burned, Stickney said. Three cars on top of the truck sustained severe smoke damage, while one was severely burned on the back, Stickney said. The tractor was still drivable after the fire was put out.
State Police closed the entire northbound side of the highway as firefighters battled the flames. The engines left the scene at about 3 a.m., Stickney said.
Trisha Thadani can be reached at trisha.thadani@globe.com. Follow her on Twitter @TrishaThadani.