MURFREESBORO, TN (WGNS) - A dramatic scene unfolded on NW Broad Street just after sunset Thursday (1/29/2026) night when a Ford F-150 super-cab pickup truck became fully engulfed in flames during the height of the evening commute. Drivers heading home from work found themselves passing a wall of fire near the Thompson Lane intersection, before first responders could reach the area. This is the area that's in front of the Stones River Country Club.
Murfreesboro Police PIO Dana Smith told WGNS that Murfreesboro Fire Rescue Department units were dispatched quickly once the call came in. Engine 7, Ladder 4, Safety 2, and Battalion Chief 2 all responded, working together to knock down the flames. Crews extinguished the fire without any injuries, and traffic slowly began to move again once the scene was secured.
Listeners texted WGNS about the vehicle fire, with many asking whether Arctic cold weather increases the likelihood of vehicle fires. Anytime a blaze like that happens on a cold day, the same question comes up: does cold weather make these fires more common?
The short answer is that cold temperatures do not directly cause more vehicle fires, but they can create conditions that make mechanical or electrical failures more likely—and those failures are the leading cause of vehicle fires nationwide.
Cold weather thickens engine oil and transmission fluid, forcing engines to work harder. That added strain can aggravate worn components or existing mechanical issues. Batteries also perform poorly in low temperatures, and a weak battery can create high-resistance electrical connections that overheat. Older vehicles face another risk as well: wiring insulation can become brittle in freezing weather, crack, and expose wires, increasing the likelihood of an electrical short.
A vehicle fire occurring around 32 degrees is more consistent with a typical mechanical or electrical failure than with a fire directly caused by cold weather. While colder temperatures can add stress to a vehicle, they do not need to be extreme for something to go wrong.
