Car on fire causes traffic jam on Midlands stretch of major highway during commute

A vehicle that caught on fire, closed part of a major highway in the Midlands, while adding to Wednesday evening commute congestion.

A vehicle was reported on fire at 5:45 p.m. on I-26, by the South Carolina Department of Transportation.

It took more than an hour for the scene to be cleared and for the road to be completely reopened.

The incident occurred at the 115 mile marker, near Cayce, during the busiest stretch of the nighttime commute. It caused a traffic jam, as all westbound lanes were closed, bringing drivers to a stop, according to SCDOT.

On the opposite side of the interstate, SCDOT reported an obstruction in the road. The obstruction was caused by a collision, and the left lane was also temporarily closed.

There was no word if there were any injuries from either the burning car or the collision.

Earlier in the day at the 115 mile marker, an hourslong standoff shut down all of Interstate 26 in that area. It ended with deputies fatally shooting a suspect.

This story was originally published March 28, 2018 at 6:06 PM with the headline "Car on fire causes traffic jam on Midlands stretch of major highway during commute."