Love-in-bloom goes up in smoke

The Trucker News Services

2/12/2008

BOISE, Idaho — A delivery truck loaded with more than $50,000 worth of flowers for Valentine's Day on Thursday went up in smoke Monday near an Interstate 84 weigh station just east of Boise, Idaho.

Authorities said the incident temporarily slowed eastbound morning traffic between Boise and Mountain Home.

Police reported that the truck was loaded with prepackaged flowers to be delivered to various locations in Pocatello.

Boise fire investigators said the fire apparently started in the truck's refrigeration unit. The blaze destroyed the entire load of flowers.

Delivery truck driver Salvadore Escovel said he was “just driving in and saw a whole bunch of smoke coming out of the box.”

They were being delivered from Boise's DWF Wholesale Flowers. Manager Pat O'Dell said it was “probably the worst thing I've seen happen, it's a disaster.”

He estimated the loss at $50,000 in losses. He had to pass on the bad news to buyers by phone.

“They'll be doing whatever they can do get stuff flown in,” O’Dell said. “There’s some big orders there.”

DWF will replace only part of the loss. Some florists, however, began making arrangements to have other flowers flown in from Florida.