A man escapes injury after his skid steer catches fire.

Deputies from the Saline County Sheriff’s Office responded to an equipment fire northwest of Salina on Friday afternoon.

The operator was cutting trees in a field with a John Deere skid steer in the 3200 block of W. Humbarger at about 3:15pm when he heard a hissing sound.

Smoke billowed out of the hydraulic hoses as he left the driver’s seat. Moments later the skid steer was engulfed in flames.

The vehicle is owned by Came Farms and is valued between $52,000 to $70,000.