Southbound traffic on Interstate 69 in Caldwell County between Dawson Springs and Princeton was blocked for several hours Tuesday due to a tractor-trailer fire.
Princeton Fire Chief Brent Francis says that a semi was transporting window frames just before six when the driver noticed flames and pulled over. The driver, whose name has not been released, was able to detach the semi from the trailer before it became engulfed in flames.
Chief Francis adds that crews were able to get the fire out but it destroyed most of the back half of the trailer and left some hotspots, which delayed clean up efforts. He notes the fire is suspected to have started when a rear brake line overheated and ignited the trailer.
Southbound traffic was restricted to one lane for several hours as crews worked to put out the blaze. Both southbound lanes were then closed for over five hours to allow recovery crews to move the trailer from the roadway and to fix pavement damage from the fire.
According to Kentucky Transportation Cabinet officials, the roadway reopened around 1:45 Tuesday afternoon.
(Story By Audrey Lamb/WPKY)
