The driver of a tractor-trailer was left injured after the trailer caught fire on I-77 in Charlotte, North Carolina, on Tuesday, according to authorities.
First responders, including 34 firefighters, arrived at the scene near Exit 9 and put the fire out in 22 minutes, said the Charlotte Fire Department. The driver was able to exit the vehicle and was taken to a hospital with life-threatening injuries, a medic told Queen City News.
The trailer was carrying produce and is no danger to the environment, per a tweet by the fire department.
The fire department issued a traffic alert warning drivers of delays at 7:42 a.m.
Crews began opening up two left lanes on I-77 North near Exit 9 and the Clarkson Street bridge above the roadway at 9:32 a.m., the North Carolina Department of Transportation reported.
Previously, all lanes were expected to be closed until approximately 4:30 p.m. The bridge and roadway were not damaged, NCDOT stated.
