A tanker truck carrying diesel fuel and gasoline caught fire on Interstate 85 northbound near the Boggs Road overpass in Gwinnett County early Thursday morning because of a blown tire.
Gwinnett Fire Captain Tommy Rutledge said in a press release the fire was caused by a spark from the brake system after a blown tire. Rutledge said the driver stopped the vehicle on the interstate just before 3 a.m. and attempted to put out the fire with a portable extinguisher and passing motorists called 911. Firefighters were able to put out the fire using an attack hose line.
The fire scorched the back of the tanker truck but never entered the fuel-cargo tank and there was no fuel leak or immediate hazardous material threat. An empty tanker was called to get the fuel; that truck arrived at 5 a.m.
Gwinnett Police, the Georgia State Patrol and a Georgia Department of Transportation HERO Unit also responded. Gwinnett Police closed lanes of the interstate and rerouted traffic while HERO and state troopers helped with traffic direction.
The incident began at 2:57 a.m., the empty truck arrived at 5 a.m. and had reopened at 7 a.m.
