It could take hours to reopen highway in Lexington after crash that blocks traffic

A Wednesday morning crash on a major highway running through Lexington caused a traffic jam that could take hours to clear, South Carolina officials said.

All of the westbound lanes on Interstate 20 were blocked by the collision and vehicle fire near Exit 55, according to the South Carolina Department of Transportation. That’s the junction with S.C. 6 in Lexington County.

This backup could delay any driver taking I-20 from Columbia toward Georgia.

The crash occurred at about 6 a.m., according to SCDOT.

Information about the cause of the collision, and the number of vehicles involved, was not available.

A tractor trailer involved in the wreck was on fire, Lexington County officials said.

The fire was brought under control in about 30 minutes, according to Lexington County officials. The fire didn’t spread to the cargo inside the trailer, but there was a fuel leak, which was contained by the county’s Haz-Mat team.

The South Carolina Department of Public Safety did not say if anyone was injured in the crash.

Traffic cameras showed vehicles backed up and emergency responders on the scene.

Traffic is being diverted to the ramp at Exit 58, Cpl. Tyler Tidwell of the South Carolina Highway Patrol said.

“Please be patient as traffic is being diverted through the town of Lexington,” police said. “This collision may take a few hours to clear from the roadway.”

Drivers are asked to avoid the area and take alternate routes.

“Expect delays,” Tidwell said.

At about 7:45 a.m., SCDOT said the two right lanes on I-20 were blocked.

This is a developing story, check back for updates.

This story was originally published March 15, 2023 at 7:51 AM.

Noah Feit

The State

803-771-8435

Noah Feit is a Real Time reporter with The State focused on breaking news, public safety and trending news. The award-winning journalist has worked for multiple newspapers since starting his career in 1999. Support my work with a digital subscription