Katherine road train catches fire

A driver has escaped unharmed after his road train was engulfed in flames on Katherine’s main road overnight.

Territory Savvy have confirmed the road train which was engulfed in flames in Katherine was transporting 15,000 magazine copies. Source: Facebook.

A driver has escaped unharmed after his road train was engulfed in flames on Katherine’s main road overnight.

About 12.07am on Monday, a road train was travelling to Darwin when the vehicle caught on fire along Katherine Terrace.

The driver managed to pull the road train to a stop outside of an Intersport shopfront before disconnecting part of the road train and isolating the blaze.

Fire and Rescue personnel arrived on the scene to extinguish the fireball.

Police said only one trailer of the road train was fully engulfed, with the shopfront and the road having sustained some damage.

An investigation remains underway, however early indications have reportedly confirmed the brake pads malfunctioned, triggering the fire.

No injuries have been reported.

It was later confirmed by lifestle magazine Territory Savvy the trailer which turned into a fireball contained 15,000 copies of the company’s magazine.

Taking to social media, owner Mel Brautigam said being in business was “not for the weak”.

“Unfortunately 15,000 copies of our Territory Savvy Kids magazine were destroyed on the back of a truck in Katherine overnight - so they won’t land this week,” she said.

“After many tears and phone calls to the transport company and Katherine police - our printers have rescued our business by reprinting and they will land in two weeks.”

Ms Brautigam encouraged Territorians to rally around small businesses.

“It’s been the toughest 12 months and I honestly thought this was the end of Territory Savvy but thank gosh for our amazing partners at Printcraft Australia,” she said.

“Please get out there and keep supporting our small businesses.”

Originally published as Katherine road train catches fire