Vehicle goes up in flames and causes traffic jam on major highway in Midlands
A vehicle caught on fire on a major interstate running through the Midlands Tuesday, causing delays for drivers on the morning commute.
Two eastbound lanes on Interstate 26 were closed because of the burning vehicle near Exit 111, according to the South Carolina Department of Transportation. That’s in the West Columbia area of Lexington County, near the line with Richland County, and is the junction with U.S. 1 and S.C. 12.
The fire started at about 6:55 a.m., according to SCDOT.
Information about the cause of the fire, and if any other vehicles were involved, was not available. Traffic cameras showed fire engines among the emergency vehicles responding to the scene.
The South Carolina Department of Public Safety did not say if anyone was injured in the fire.
Vehicles were backed up for more than a mile as drivers negotiated their way through the area of I-26 with the closed lanes, traffic cameras showed.
At about 8 a.m., SCDOT reported that all of the lanes had been reopened and the scene was cleared.
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This story was originally published May 16, 2023 at 7:25 AM.
