A fiery incident unfolded on I-79 in Washington County over the weekend as a tractor-trailer was consumed by flames, causing traffic disruptions and necessitating a response from state police. The incident occurred on Sunday afternoon between Exit 33 (U.S. 40 - Laboratory) and Exit 34 (I-70 East - New Stanton), as per reports from WPXI.
While the vehicle fire was extinguished without any reported injuries, travelers faced a significant, slow-moving "backlog" of traffic along the northbound lanes as emergency services and towing operations were carried out, described by the South Strabane Fire Department. During the incident, PennDOT announced a lane restriction was in effect, up until all lanes were reopened at 6:30 p.m., according to the details shared by WTAE.
Photos taken at the scene and circulated by the South Strabane Fire Department captured the harrowing sight: the cab of the tractor-trailer fully engulfed, claiming a banner of black smoke against the twilight sky. Pennsylvania State Police were summoned to the scene to manage the traffic and investigate the cause of the fire, though their findings on what instigated the blaze have not been publicly released.
