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NC troopers help stranded trucker return home after I-77 blaze

STATESVILLE, N.C. — The driver of a truck that burned on Interstate 77 last week is back home in Colorado after North Carolina State Highway Patrol troopers decided to help.

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Ali Jassim said he had just left a rest area when he noticed smoke coming from the truck's engine.

When he pulled over, he said he saw flames and called 911.

“I tried to use my extinguisher, but the fire was already too big,” said Jassim.

After the fire was extinguished, the troopers said they realized that Jassim escaped with his life, a pack of cigarettes and a cellphone, but the rest of his possessions burned in the blaze.

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Without a driver’s license, proof of citizenship or money, Jassim was stranded in Statesville with no way to get back to his Denver home.

Several troopers, along with highway patrol communications workers donated money, and contacted churches and a local CVS.

With the troopers help, Jassim left North Carolina in a rental car with a phone charger, water and money for gas, food and lodging.

[RELATED: Tractor-trailer crashes, spills watermelons across I-485 ramp]

“These are the members of the North Carolina State Highway Patrol,” 1st Sgt. C.R. Jones said. “I have faith that this is the standard of our men and women and know this is what it means to put this uniform on every day and represent North Carolina. We could not ask for any better ambassadors.”

Jassim said the next steps for him are replacing the identification and items lost in the fire.

“The officers helped me a lot. Everyone was so nice,” Jassim said. “Thank you to all the people who helped.”

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