Vehicle fire causing I-81 closure in Cumberland County at 581 split
CUMBERLAND COUNTY, Pa. (WHTM) — A tanker truck carrying a chemical caught fire on I-81, causing a closure by the 581 split Tuesday evening as first responders worked to extinguish the flames.
A spokesperson for PennDOT said the I-81 south at the split, along with the ramp, reopened around three hours after the vehicle fire happened around 6:30 p.m.
New Kingstown Fire Company was able to knock the fire down and cool the tanker after arriving at the scene, according to a Facebook post. The cab was what caught fire, it did not extend to the tanker.
The truck was hauling Acetone, a man-made chemical that can also be found naturally in the environment, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s website.
It took crews over an hour to clear the scene. Southbound traffic was rerouted off I-81, and the backlog was turned around to avoid any traffic, the fire company said.
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There was no word on injuries.
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