Burning vehicle blocks interstate running through Richland County
A burning vehicle was blocking traffic Monday afternoon on an interstate running through Richland County.
Multiple westbound lanes of Interstate 20 were blocked by the vehicle going up in flames, the South Carolina Department of Transportation said on Twitter. The fire happened in Columbia near Exit 70, which is the junction with U.S. 321 (Fairfield Road).
Information on injuries was not available from the South Carolina Department of Public Safety, which said the incident was reported at about 1:15 p.m.
Drivers are encouraged to avoid the area heading toward downtown Columbia, but those who travel that stretch of I-20 are told to expect delays, according to South Carolina Highway Patrol.
Emergency responders were on the scene, as traffic was backed up for miles, traffic cameras showed.
There was no word on what caused the fire, or how many vehicles were damaged.
Information on when the interstate would be cleared was not available.
This is a developing story, check back for updates.
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This story was originally published July 6, 2020 at 2:02 PM.
