On Sunday night, a semi truck caught fire on Interstate 40 in McDowell County. According to WLOS ABC News Channel 13, the incident happened around 9:30 p.m. near mile marker 79. Portions of the interstate roadway had to be shut down for nearly seven hours. Crews were on the scene, near the Old Fort and Sugar Hill Road areas, working through the night.
Lanes Reopened for Morning Commuters
Very few details have been released, but this appears to have been a one-vehicle crash. It’s unclear whether the tractor-trailer crashed and then caught fire, or if the fire started independently of a crash. Crews had the all of the eastbound lanes open by about 4:30 a.m., just in time for the morning commuters. Thankfully and surprisingly, no injuries were immediately reported with this fiery semi truck crash.
Transporting Hazardous Materials
At this time, there’s no information on what the tractor-trailer was hauling, and there’s still no word on how exactly the fire got started. Was the fire caused by some type of hazardous material or caused as a result of the fuel in the tank? All commercial trucks have additional rules and regulations to follow, but trucks hauling hazardous and flammable materials have even stricter rules and guidelines. Big rigs carrying certain types of hazardous materials have to maintain a higher level of safety and retain and keep HazMat certifications and permits.
Semi Truck Crashes in North Carolina
Thankfully, there were no injuries reported in this fiery tractor-trailer crash. Unfortunately, that’s just not the case for many people who are involved in big rig crashes in North Carolina and across the country. Since commercial vehicles can weigh up to 80,000 pounds, they can do a considerable amount of damage in the event of a wreck. They don’t stop on a dime, and smaller passenger vehicles just don’t stand much of a chance when crashes involve semi trucks. This is why commercial drivers and trucking companies have additional rules and regulations to follow. If you or a loved one has been injured in a big rig crash, contact the experienced team at Davis Law Group, P.A. for a free case consultation today.