An early afternoon fire shut down I-80 in Salt Lake City on Monday, causing traffic chaos.
The incident: Happened around 11:15 a.m. on September 2nd. A semi-truck hauling frozen food caught fire on the right shoulder of the westbound side.
- Utah Department of Transportation cameras captured the scene, showing black smoke and exploding tires.
- The truck driver, noticing the smoke, pulled over and managed to detach the cab from the trailer.
The fire, caused by the trucker riding his brakes, was intense but did not result in any injuries. Kelly Bird from Unified Fire Authority said, "It's still hot, don't ride your brakes. You have to make sure... there is an opportunity for them to overheat and catch your vehicle on fire."
Hundreds of boxes of frozen food spilled onto the roadway during the blaze, further complicating the situation. Cleanup and recovery efforts continued for hours, leading to significant delays.
Despite the intense fire and traffic delays, the quick actions of the driver and firefighting crews prevented any injuries. The interstate reopened around 4:30 p.m., but drivers were advised to expect delays, reported KUTV.