NEAR THE PAYMENT, Mo. — An unusual chain of events led to an accident and caused two small grass fires in the median of Highway 63.

It happened Tuesday at 1 p.m. on Highway 63, about four and a half miles south of La Plata.

A Missouri State Trooper told KTVO at the scene that an 18-wheeler driven by an unnamed driver from Shawano, Wis., was southbound on 63 when it had a rear tire blowout.

The officer said some type of red-hot debris, possibly wheel bearings, landed in the median and started two small grass fires next to each other.

Firemen and Salvarea La Plata were called to the scene, but the law enforcement officers extinguished the flames with fire extinguishers before the firemen got there.

The explosion caused the driver to lose control of the big rig.

The trailer, loaded with large bales of corn stalks, then fell off the right shoulder into the ground.

The momentum caused it to detach from the tractor and flip onto its side into the ditch.

The tractor remained upright.

The driver was not injured in the incident.

No other vehicles were involved.