A car hauler caught fire on Interstate 59 southbound near Slidell, igniting several grass fires alongside the highway on Saturday afternoon. According to WWL-TV, the St. Tammany Fire Protection District No. 11 responded to the incident, which occurred around noon, and had the situation under control by 3 p.m. Fortunately, no injuries were reported.
Specific details about the cause of the fire have not yet been released. However, the situation led to the closure of part of the southbound lanes and sparked multiple grass fires. According to a Facebook post by the fire district, the fires also affected areas on I-59 northbound between mile markers 5 and 11. Units from Picayune Fire joined the firefighting efforts, as reported by WGNO.
Later statements from the St. Tammany Parish Fire Protection District provided more details on the response to the incident. As stated by WDSU, the fires were extensive enough to require assistance from St. Tammany Fire Protection District 11. While highway traffic was disrupted, including a temporary lane closure, all fires were confirmed to be under control by the afternoon. Motorists experienced delays as one lane remained open while emergency crews worked on the scene. The full reopening of I-59 southbound was not immediately announced, but cleanup and safety inspections were underway to ensure safe resumption of traffic.
