Semi-trailer catches fire at Rivian

(Photo courtesy of the Normal Fire Department)

A semi-trailer was destroyed by fire at the Rivian Automotive plant in Normal Monday but no one was injured.

Normal Firefighters responded to a report of the fire just before 1 p.m. The trailer was not attached to a truck so it could not be moved away from the building as it was backed up to a loading dock.

“Prior to the fire department arriving, the heat from the fire entered the building and activated the automatic fire sprinklers above the dock door which helped prevent the flames from spreading into the building,” says a Normal Fire Department news release.

As the building fire alarm was activated, a portion of the Rivian plant was evacuated until air quality returned to safe levels.

The fire was brought under control in about 30 minutes but crews remained on the scene for another hour to check for hot spots.

One semi-trailer was destroyed, an adjacent trailer sustained heat damage and there was moderate heat and smoke damage to the exterior of the Rivian building above the dock area. No damage estimate is available and the fire is under investigation.