BULACAN, Philippines — A typical Sunday morning commute turned into a scene of panic and heavy gridlock after a delivery truck caught fire directly on top of the Sta. Rita Bridge in Guiguinto, Bulacan. The vehicle was quickly engulfed in flames, prompting an emergency response from local fire crews and causing massive traffic delays along the vital thoroughfare.

The incident occurred at approximately 8:00 AM on Sunday, May 17, 2026. According to initial reports, the delivery truck was traversing the northbound lane of the Sta. Rita Bridge when the driver noticed smoke emerging from beneath the dashboard, accompanied by a sudden loss of acceleration.

The driver and his helper quickly pulled the vehicle to the side of the bridge and evacuated the cabin just moments before the engine bay erupted into a violent blaze.

Thick, black smoke billowed into the sky, visible from kilometers away, as the fire quickly spread from the engine to the vehicle's cargo area.

Firefighters from the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) Guiguinto station, alongside local volunteer brigades, arrived at the scene within minutes of the alarm. Emergency teams immediately cordoned off the bridge, halting all passing traffic for safety as firefighters deployed hose lines to suppress the growing flames.

Firefighters put out the blaze in approximately twenty minutes, completely extinguishing the fire. While the delivery truck was entirely gutted, both the driver and helper escaped completely unharmed. No other injuries were reported among nearby residents or passing motorists.

The timing of the fire created a logistical nightmare for local travelers. The Sta. Rita Bridge serves as a critical connection point for commuters heading toward the North Luzon Expressway (NLEX) and adjacent commercial hubs in Bulacan.

Traffic quickly backed up for several kilometers along the primary approach roads. Local traffic enforcers and police personnel were deployed to divert light vehicles through alternative bypass routes in neighboring barangays to alleviate the bottleneck.

An official investigation into the cause of the fire has been launched by the BFP. Initial assessments from scene investigators point toward a severe electrical short circuit within the vehicle's engine compartment as the primary catalyst for the blaze.

Clearing operations are currently underway to tow the charred remains of the truck off the bridge, and authorities expect traffic flow to return to normal conditions by mid-day.