A jackknifed semitruck erupted into flames on westbound Interstate 10 just before mile marker 342 in Baldwin Wednesday afternoon, forcing authorities to shut down all lanes as a thick plume of black smoke rose over the highway. Jacksonville Fire Rescue Department crews responded to the scene around 3:15 p.m., and drivers in the area were told to expect significant delays.
Traffic camera footage captured the semitruck fully engulfed in flames, according to News4JAX, which reported the crash and the lane closures. The Florida Highway Patrol holds primary jurisdiction over crashes on interstate highways like I-10, dispatching troopers and coordinating with local fire-rescue agencies while tracking live conditions through its statewide crash network alongside the Florida Department of Transportation's FL511 system.
Freight Traffic Near Baldwin
Mile marker 342 sits directly adjacent to Exit 343, which connects I-10 to U.S. Route 301. Freight traffic is present in the area, and crashes can cause severe backups.
A Corridor With a Troubled Recent History
Wednesday's fire is only the latest in a string of serious incidents near this interchange. On September 15, a woman was fatally struck by a semitruck in the Love's Travel Stop parking lot near I-10 and U.S. 301 in Baldwin, a crash that marked Duval County's 124th traffic fatality of 2026. Back in July, a separate collision closed all eastbound I-10 lanes before mile marker 346, causing extensive regional backups.
Earlier in the year, a two-vehicle collision on U.S. 301 just north of I-10 killed a 59-year-old local resident and seriously injured two children, shutting down northbound lanes for hours, as Hoodline reported in its February coverage of the crash, which the Florida Highway Patrol investigated.
Duval County Traffic Fatalities
A Hoodline report, citing ThatCarHitMe.com, estimated 145 motor-vehicle traffic fatalities in Duval County in 2024.
Drivers heading west through Baldwin should anticipate delays and seek alternate routes.
