No one hurt, but vehicle fire briefly shuts down highway

HELEN - No one was hurt as a result of a vehicle fire that shut down a busy state highway north of Helen Sunday afternoon.

White County Fire Department spokeswoman Ana Newberry said the fire was reported around 1 p.m. just south of Top of Georgia Airstream Park on Georgia Highway 75.

Newberry said the driver of an SUV reported the right front tire was on fire. When firefighters arrived, the vehicle was about 60-percent involved.

Two people and two dogs were in the vehicle and all were able to exit the SUV safely.

Newberry said the highway was shut down to traffic for about 30 minutes while firefighters extinguished the blaze.

Helen Fire Department and a tanker from White County Station 3 responded.