Tractor-trailer fire shut down I-75 Wednesday morning

A tractor-trailer fire on I-75 shutdown the interstate for several hours Wednesday morning.

Numerous departments responded to the fire at mile marker 4 on I-75 northbound.

Upon arrival, Whitley County Sheriff’s Deputy Chad Estep said, “The trailer and the semi had already been disconnected by the driver.”

The driver had dropped the trailer to avoid further fire, said Estep. When crews arrived, the trailer was fully engulfed, so crews were forced to let the fire burn itself out.

A small brush fire broke out along the interstate stemming from the trailer. The brush fire traveled towards the Mountain Ash area by Hwy 1804.

The driver was hauling plastic material used in soda cans, said Estep.

Estep commended the driver’s quick actions.

“[The driver] said his brakes caught on fire. He didn’t know if it was from coming down Jellico Mountain or what caused them to heat up, but he looked in his mirror and saw that his brakes were on fire on the trailer. He immediately pulled over, got a fire extinguisher, and kept the fire from travelling into the semi,” said Estep.

There were no injuries reported.

Both north and southbound lanes were shut down due to debris flying in the area.

As the trailer was melting, the debris was traveling across the interest and over the guardrail, said Estep. The entire interstate was shut down until the heat and debris were no longer safety hazards for motorists.

Estep said the fire was so hot the tankers kept running out of water, so the trucks were having to travel to a fire hydrant on Hwy 1804 to reload and go back.

He said that each time the fire appeared to be extinguished it would start back, so it was difficult to fully extinguish. Estep said the lack of access to water contributed to the problem.

Pleasant View Fire Department was the first to respond to the scene, but shortly after Emergency Management Director Danny Moses responded and called for assistance from other departments.

The interstate reopened at approximately 8:30 a.m. Wednesday morning.

One individual commented on a Facebook post on the Whitley County Sheriff’s Department page stating that they sat in a standstill for approximately seven hours.

Another individual commented on a post by the Laurel County Fire Department stating the traffic had not moved for eight hours.

According to Whitley County Dispatch, South Whitley Fire Department, Pleasant View Fire Department, Emlyn Fire Department, Whitley County Sheriff’s Office, Kentucky State Police, Williamsburg Fire Department, Whitley County Emergency Management, Tennessee Highway Patrol, and Jellico Fire Department all responded to the scene.