DURHAM – A 1987 truck that was being traded in by an Auburn couple on a 2007 model was destroyed by fire in Durham as it was being driven to the dealership.

Marie Cooper was traveling behind her husband in their other truck Saturday afternoon when she smelled smoke. She then saw flames peek out from under the cab of Richard Cooper’s old Dodge Dakota, which he had bought last fall to plow the driveway.

Marie called Richard on his cell phone and told him to pull over, but he kept going until he could find a side road. When he finally hopped out, the couple backed away to safety and the truck went up in flames.

Once the smoke cleared and the burned hulk was towed away, the couple went on to Bodwell Chrysler Dodge in Brunswick, where Marie showed pictures of the fire on her camera phone.

The couple still got their trade-in.