Firefighters battle truck ablaze

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  • Photo submitted by Anna Hall — A Dodge Ram is engulfed in flames Thursday in the parking lot of the old Bells Shopping Center on Athens Street.
    Photo submitted by Anna Hall — A Dodge Ram is engulfed in flames Thursday in the parking lot of the old Bells Shopping Center on Athens Street.
  • Sunshot by Michael Hall — Hartwell firefighters pry open the hood of a Dodge Ram that burst into flames Thursday in the parking lot of the old Bells Shopping Center.
    Sunshot by Michael Hall — Hartwell firefighters pry open the hood of a Dodge Ram that burst into flames Thursday in the parking lot of the old Bells Shopping Center.
  • Sunshot by Michael Hall — Hartwell firefighters douse the engine bay of a Dodge Ram that caught fire Thursday in the parking lot of the old Bells Shopping Center.
    Sunshot by Michael Hall — Hartwell firefighters douse the engine bay of a Dodge Ram that caught fire Thursday in the parking lot of the old Bells Shopping Center.
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A Dodge Ram caught fire Thursday afternoon just before it entered downtown Hartwell. Hartwell firefighters were dispatched to the parking lot of the old Bells Shopping Center, 136 Athens St., at around 4:30 p.m. to a report of a four-door truck on fire. When they arrived, they found the truck engulfed in flames. The driver of the truck said smoke began billowing from his engine bay as he was driving down Athens Street, so he quickly pulled off the road and into the grass along side the road at the edge of the parking lot. The driver was able to exit the vehicle without injury.