LINCOLNVILLE — Camden resident Johnny Tofani and his dog, Luna, escaped unscathed Saturday night, when his Dodge pickup truck caught fire and burst into flames.

Tofani was on High Street in Lincolnville, about 1/2-mile from the Moody Mountain Road intersection going toward Hope, around 8:45 p.m. when he said he smelled burning plastic.

"I was just driving and could smell some melting plastic from the dash, then there was a puff of smoke followed by flames from the middle of the dash," said Tofani Sunday. "As soon as there were flames, I couldn't see anything so I just kinda stepped out and let the truck coast into the ditch."

Tofani said the truck was fully engulfed in flames within two of three minutes of he and Luna's exit.

Tofani's 2001 Dodge Ram truck was destroyed in the fire, which took about a minute and a half to extinguish, according to Lincolnville Fire Chief Ben Hazen, after Engine 1 arrived on scene.

"I was the first one there, in my private vehicle, right away and it took about four or five minutes for the first truck to get there with foam," said Hazen. "It was fully involved when I got there."

Hazen said they used foam to put the fire out, which worked very well. He also said about a dozen Lincolnville firefighters responded to the call Saturday night.

He said that two deputies with the Waldo County Sheriff's Office were there, including Sgt. Matt Curtis, and that Camden Exxon towed the truck from the scene.

"John told me had just gotten the truck back on the road, and that he was fully insured," said Hazen.

Editorial Director Holly S. Edwards can be reached at hollyedwards@penbaypilot.com or 706-6655.