Tractor-tractor Fire Closed Interstate

At about 12:40 a.m. Tuesday, Jan. 11, a tractor-trailer caught fire in the northbound lane of Interstate 81 near mile marker 178. No one was seriously injured, but the trailer’s cargo – hundreds of recliners – was destroyed.

Rockbridge County Fire-Rescue Deputy Chief Kevin Moore said responding crews had to remove the recliners from the trailer in order to douse the flames. “It was a really hard fire to fight,” Moore said. “The fire was kind of in the middle of the load, so the crews had to pretty much pull every recliner off the truck to get to where the fire was at and put it out.”

All northbound travel lanes were closed until the fire was defused and the road was cleared at about 4:30 a.m.

Departments from Glasgow, Natural Bridge, Buena Vista, Lexington, Buchanan and Rockbridge County responded.

(photo courtesy of Kevin Moore)