EFFINGHAM COUNTY, Ill. (WAND) - A semi-truck containing strawberries caught fire and was destroyed by flames, firefighters said. 

Effingham firefighters said they responded Wednesday to I-70 eastbound at mile marker 88, where they found a truck loaded with California strawberries engulfed in flames. The entire truck cab was fully involved, along with the front and mid-sections of the trailer. 

Crews did not have a hydrant nearby, so they called a water tender from the Watson Fire Protection District. 

Effingham Fire Chief Bob Tutko said the 33-year-old male driver from California reported he had stopped about an hour before the fire for fuel. He performed a safety check at that time and found nothing wrong with the truck. 

While moving eastbound near mile marker 88, the driver noticed a large amount of fire near the right rear axle assembly of the tractor. When he was able to pull over to the shoulder, flames had already engulfed the passenger side of the cab and the front of the trailer. 

The driver was not injured. 

Responders shut down I-70 eastbound for about 45 minutes to fight the fire. They then had to close both east and westbound lanes to make room for Heartland Towing and Recovery, which dismantled the tractor trailer. Tutko said a back hoe was needed to pull apart remaining contents in the trailer, which contained hidden pockets of fire inside.

Authorities ruled the cause accidental and said the fire was likely the result of a mechanical failure in the vehicle. The value of the vehicle and strawberries was valued at $210,000.