Minneota firemen hurried to douse the fire in VanHecke's truck.

VanHecke truck destroyed by fire

Jim VanHecke took a positive attitude as he watched fire destroyed his grain truck Thursday morning.

His nephew and fireman Glen VanHecke approached and Jim said, "Hey, I got a truck for sale!?" Both men laughed.

Jim VanHecke had been to Minneota just minutes earlier, then drove to his farm just across the Yellow Medicine River Bridge outside Miinneota on Highway 68.

"I drove it up here and was going to load some grain," he said.

He got out of the truck to get the auger operating, then noticed smoke coming from the truck's engine. Opening the hood produced flames and it was time to call the Minneota Fire Department.

"I didn't really know there was a problem until I saw the smoke," he said. And, "I really don't know what happened," said Jim VanHecke.

His nephew Glen said, "There was a short in there and the motor kept trying to start," producing another chuckle for the VanHeckes.

Jim expected the truck would be totaled and said he was fortunate to have relatives so he could haul grain until the truck is replaced.

"It's only a truck," Jim VanHecke said, indicating there were no human injuries.

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