–A Winnebago County man was killed after a pair of semis collided and caught fire at a rural intersection southwest of Algona Friday morning.
According to the Iowa State Patrol, 49-year-old Chad Bjork of Albert City was southbound on 70th Avenue in a 2000 Freightliner Semi, just before 9AM Friday. As Bjork approached the intersection with 160th Street, he failed to yield the right of way to a eastbound 2006 Peterbilt Semi, driven by 48-year-old Alan Schuler of Thompson.
Schuler’s semi struck Bjork’s in the middle of the intersection, with both coming to rest in the south ditch, at which time both vehicles caught fire and burned completely.
Bjork suffered serious injuries and was taken by air ambulance to MercyOne North Iowa Medical Center in Mason City. Schuler was pronounced dead at the scene.
The accident report states that neither driver was wearing a seatbelt at the time of the collision.
The Iowa State Patrol was assisted at the scene by the Kossuth County Sheriff’s Office, Algona Police Department, Iowa Department of Natural Resources, Kossuth County EMS, Kossuth County Medical Examiner and the Algona Fire Department.
