CANTON, N.C. (WNCN) — A load of potatoes went up in flames on Interstate 40 when the trailer of an 18-wheeler caught fire Tuesday afternoon in the North Carolina mountains.
The incident was reported around 3:40 p.m. along eastbound I-40 at mile marker 29 in Haywood County, according to witnesses and reports.
The fire closed eastbound I-40 about two miles west of Asheville.
The driver of the truck managed to unhook his rig from the trailer and he was not injured, according to witness Teresa Jordan.
Other photos from the scene showed the trailer split into two sections near the rear wheels as the intense fire burned and melted the metal trailer.
One firefighter could be seen in the trailer standing atop the potatoes after the blaze.
It’s not clear how the fire began, but damage to the trailer was centered near the rear wheels.
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