Friday morning, September 4, 2026, at 10:30 a.m., calls started coming into Charlotte County Fire & EMS reporting a vehicle fire on southbound I-75, just past the Kings Highway exit near mile marker 170.
As crews raced south, they could already see the smoke. Not just a thin trail, but a column of thick, black, and rising high. By the time they pulled up, an RV sat off to the right shoulder, flames tearing through it. The RV’s trailer, loaded up with ATVs, was right behind, still untouched.
Firefighters went to work fast, shutting down the southbound exit ramp for safety. The fire didn’t stand a chance; the crew knocked it down before the trailer or the ATVs caught fire. They checked out one person at the scene, and that person went home instead of to the hospital. In the end, the cause, according to the fire marshal, was accidental mechanical failure.
Before you take your RV out, check the basics: engine, fuel lines, electrical systems. If you spot any leaks, smell something odd, or notice warning lights, don’t ignore them. And always keep a working fire extinguisher within reach.
The aerial shots of the fire? You can thank one of their battalion chiefs, who captured those photos while flying overhead on his day off.
Here’s the rundown:
Time and Location: September 4, 10:31 a.m., I-75 southbound, just after the Kings Highway exit (Exit 170).
What happened: An RV traveling south caught fire. It was towing a trailer full of ATVs. The RV burned, but firefighters saved the trailer and everything in it.
Traffic: The southbound exit ramp was closed.
Injuries: One person evaluated, no one hospitalized.
Cause: Accidental, mechanical.
Responding Units: Engine 8, Engine 11, Medic 2, Battalion 2, County 2, and the county fire marshal.
