Semi rig catches fire; the driver is nowhere to be found

MISHAWAKA, Ind. - A semi truck cab caught fire in the parking lot of Motel 6 Thursday afternoon.

Ryan Grill watched it happen as he and his family had lunch at Pizza Hut across the street.

The black smoke could be seen for miles as the fire happened along Lincoln Way East.

"I got up and looked out the window and the next thing you know the semi truck behind me was on fire.," Grill said.

There was one rig that was pulling two other Peterbilt cabs.

Fire investigators think the cab may have been started on fire on purpose.

"From what I understand the cab portion was already unlocked and unhatched, so that raises a red flag," Lt. Derron Hess said.

No one was injured as the flames were put out. Foam was also used to keep the fire from spreading to the two other cabs.

"At this time we cannot find the owner," Hess added.

Those who work at Motel 6 said the rig has been parked there in the parking lot for several days. They said the driver was never checked into the Motel.

Motel 6 has surveillance of the parking lot but the video camera doesn't reach out as far as where the fire happened.

At this point, there is no way of identifying the driver.

I called the phone leasing information phone number on one of the rigs tipping off the leasing office about the fire. The Peterbilt office in Minnesota is checking to see if the rigs belong to them.