UPON STARTING THE TRUCK AND ENTERING THE ROAD, THERE SEEMED TO BE AN ODOR OF GASOLINE. AS I PROCEEDED DOWN THE ROAD IT SEEMED AS THOUGH THE MILES TO EMPTY COMPUTER NUMBER WAS FALLING FASTER THAN THE DISTANCE TRAVELED. AT APPROX. A MILE AND A QUARTER TO HALF I STOPPED AT A STOP SIGN TO CHECK ON THE ODOR. PUTTING THE TRUCK IN PARK, I STARTED TO OPEN THE DOOR. AS I STARTED TO OPEN THE DOOR, FIRE ERUPTED FROM BOTH SIDES OF THE HOOD, IN A SINGLE LARGE IGNITION. AS SOON AS THE FIRE STARTED THE TRUCK DIED INSTANTLY. AS I EXITED THE TRUCK I COULD SEE FIRE BEHIND THE WHEEL WELL AND BLACK SMOKE BEGAN TO COME INTO THE TRUCK CAB. I GRABBED MY LUNCH PAIL AND CELL PHONE FROM THE DASH AND OPENED THE BACK DOOR TO GRAB TODDLER TWO CAR SEATS I HAD IN MY BACK SEAT. I CALLED 911 AND REQUESTED ASSISTANCE, THEN CALLED MY WIFE. WITHIN A FEW MINUTES THE FRONT AND CAB WERE FULLY INVOLVED WITH FIRE. THERE WERE SEVERAL VERY WHITE EXPLOSIONS WHILE THE TRUCK WAS BURNING FROM BOTH THE ENGINE AREA AS WELL AS THE CAB.