News
A big rig hauling tires caught on fire on Interstate 80 Thursday morning forcing a detour of hundreds of semi trucks onto Highway 20 and 49.
At 8:30 a.m., the truck became totally engulfed in flames while traveling west bound on I-80 after the big rig's brakes caught on fire, just east of Colfax.
“When they get going down a hill and ride the brakes they catch on fire. The whole trailer caught on fire,” Mike Pugh, public information officer for the California Highway Patrol's Gold Run office.
Traffic was diverted from the interstate for more than six hours as hazardous materials crews from the Office of Emergency Services and the California Environmental Protection Agency cleaned up the mess.
“All the tires melted,” said Pugh said. “The smell alone will give you a headache,” Pugh said, Thursday morning.
The driver was not injured. The interstate was re-opened at about 4:45 p.m.
Fire fighters on scene extinguished a vegetation fire that escaped for several yards up the north side of Highway 174.
Beginning at about 10:30 a.m., vehicles were sent up the Secret Town exit off I-80. Big trucks traveling from Truckee were diverted onto Highway 20, a detour route that has been used nightly for months during a major Caltrans road project.
Thursday afternoon, the smell of hot brakes permeated the air in downtown Nevada City as a steady stream of trucks made their way down the hill.
Earlier this week, a truck became high centered and blocked east and west bound traffic on a windy stretch of Highway 20 just outside Nevada City. As many as 140 big rigs were backed up during the mishap.
Each night, an estimated 150 trucks travel the detour route each hour. The day time detour almost doubled the truck traffic on Highways 20 and 49, Pugh said.
To contact Staff Writer Laura Brown, e-mail lbrown@theunion.com or call 477-4231.
At 8:30 a.m., the truck became totally engulfed in flames while traveling west bound on I-80 after the big rig's brakes caught on fire, just east of Colfax.
“When they get going down a hill and ride the brakes they catch on fire. The whole trailer caught on fire,” Mike Pugh, public information officer for the California Highway Patrol's Gold Run office.
Traffic was diverted from the interstate for more than six hours as hazardous materials crews from the Office of Emergency Services and the California Environmental Protection Agency cleaned up the mess.
“All the tires melted,” said Pugh said. “The smell alone will give you a headache,” Pugh said, Thursday morning.
The driver was not injured. The interstate was re-opened at about 4:45 p.m.
Fire fighters on scene extinguished a vegetation fire that escaped for several yards up the north side of Highway 174.
Beginning at about 10:30 a.m., vehicles were sent up the Secret Town exit off I-80. Big trucks traveling from Truckee were diverted onto Highway 20, a detour route that has been used nightly for months during a major Caltrans road project.
Thursday afternoon, the smell of hot brakes permeated the air in downtown Nevada City as a steady stream of trucks made their way down the hill.
Earlier this week, a truck became high centered and blocked east and west bound traffic on a windy stretch of Highway 20 just outside Nevada City. As many as 140 big rigs were backed up during the mishap.
Each night, an estimated 150 trucks travel the detour route each hour. The day time detour almost doubled the truck traffic on Highways 20 and 49, Pugh said.
To contact Staff Writer Laura Brown, e-mail lbrown@theunion.com or call 477-4231.
