SMITHTON, Mo. (AP) -- A fire that engulfed a rural mail truck has destroyed hundreds of pieces of mail and several packages.
The U.S. Postal Service says the mail carrier was near the mid-Missouri town of Smithton on Tuesday when his sport utility vehicle stalled. After pushing his SUV into a driveway, the carrier called a supervisor to take him to get a part needed to make a repair.
The Sedalia Democrat reported that the SUV was in flames when the carrier returned.
Postal Service spokeswoman Valerie Welsch says the driver had made only 30 of the more than 400 deliveries on his route. She says the fire and water used to extinguish it "completely destroyed" most of the mail. The salvageable pieces will be sent out as soon as possible.
