Drivers stuck for hours after tractor-trailer fire shuts down I-77 in Huntersville

HUNTERSVILLE, N.C. — Interstate 77 northbound near Gilead Road in Huntersville is back open after being shut down for hours when a tractor-trailer overturned and caught fire.

All lanes were closed just after 12 a.m. because of the accident.

*I77 Update 4* Once we extinguished the tractor, we had to move to the trailer and extinguish that, then off load it. This is the reason for the extended closure. Use caution & YIELD to responding units #MoveOver #CLTtraffic pic.twitter.com/kWFnhhhoma
— Huntersville Fire (@Huntersville_FD) October 25, 2018

The right hand lane reopened just after 4 a.m. and the entire stretch of highway reopened just after 5:30 a.m.

Officials said the tractor-trailer hit the barricades along the interstate, overturned and caught fire.

Just before 2 a.m., Huntersville firefighters and other crews were able to extinguish the flames.

The tractor from this MAJOR crash and fire on I-77 was just hauled away. Still significant cleanup effort underway impacting traffic heading into rush hour. pic.twitter.com/vm7G71skWs
— Paul Boyd (@PaulBoydWSOC9) October 25, 2018

Officials had to bring in new guardrails and walls.

Huntersville firefighters cleared just after 2:45 a.m. and said they handed the scene over to I-77 Mobility Partners and the North Carolina Highway Patrol.

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