WILTON — Three vehicles were destroyed when a pickup truck caught fire in the parking lot of the Comfort Inn early Saturday morning. A fourth vehicle sustained minor damage, according to Wilton Fire Chief Sonny Dunham.

Dunham said he got a call at 2:36 a.m., when a Comfort Inn employee reported a vehicle had exploded in the parking lot.

“What they thought was an explosion was actually the truck’s tires blowing from the heat,”after a mechanical issue started a fire, Dunham said.

The 2004 Ford pickup was completely engulfed, and the heat caused the vehicles on either side of it to ignite as well. On the right side, a Dodge Durango, and on the left, a 2014 Hyundai.

On the other side of the Hyundai was a 2018 Dodge Journey. The heat from the Hyundai caused the taillight assembly to melt and bubble and melted a side-view mirror, according to fire officials.

Farmington Fire Department was called to the scene, as was the Department of Environmental Protection because of leaking fluids from the burning vehicles.

The fire marshal said the cause of the fire was a mechanical issue.

According to Dunham, the owner of the Ford pickup had stopped at the inn to spend the night because his truck was having “problems.”

“Apparently the problems were more serious than originally thought,” Dunham said.

All four vehicles involved were insured. No injuries were reported.

emarquis@sunmediagroup.net

Three cars were destroyed when a pickup caught fire at the Wilton Comfort Inn early Saturday morning. A fourth sustained minor damage. (Ann Bryant photo)