By LESLIE EIKLEBERRY Salina Post

A Nebraska man got a rude awakening late Wednesday when the engine bay of his Peterbilt truck caught on fire.

Cole Schmidt, 23, of St. Helena, Neb., had pulled his 2006 Peterbilt that was hauling a cattle trailer over to an off ramp on U.S. Highway 81 near Kansas Highway 143 north of Salina. He got into the sleeper compartment and went to sleep. Shortly before midnight, Schmidt was awakened by smoke coming from a fire in the engine bay, Saline County Sheriff Roger Soldan said this morning. 

Schmidt grabbed a fire extinguisher and was able to put out part of the fire. Firefighters from Rural Fire District 7 then extinguished the blaze.

No cattle were injured. The cattle trailer was towed to Farmers &amp; Ranchers Livestock at Salina, Soldan said.

By LESLIE EIKLEBERRY Salina PostA Nebraska man got a rude awakening late Wednesday when the engine bay of his Peterbilt truck caught on fire.Cole Schmidt, 23, of St. Helena, Neb., had pulled his 2006 Peterbilt that was hauling a cattle trailer over to an off ramp on U.S. Highway 81 near Kansas Highway 143 north of Salina. He got into the sleeper compartment and went to sleep. Shortly before midnight, Schmidt was awakened by smoke coming from a fire in the engine bay, Saline County Sheriff Roger Soldan said this morning. Schmidt grabbed a fire extinguisher and was able to put out part of the fire. Firefighters from Rural Fire District 7 then extinguished the blaze.The Peterbilt had to be towed.No cattle were injured. The cattle trailer was towed to Farmers &amp; Ranchers Livestock at Salina, Soldan said.

Peterbilt catches fire north of Salina late Wednesday night