ATLANTA — Fire crews worked to put out a large fire from the back of a tractor-trailer on I-285 near Donald Lee Hollowell Parkway Friday night.
Video from Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT) cameras showed heavy flames from the trailer as fire crews blocked northbound I-285.
The truck carrying the load was able to pull away but the trailer itself continued burning long after. GDOT estimated a clearing time of 1:30 a.m. However, northbound lanes were still completely blocked and the charred remains of the trailer were still on the road well after that in the pre-dawn hours.
GDOT maps, at one point, also showed eastbound congestion on I-20 where it crosses I-285.
On Saturday, police provided an update on what led up to the fire - including more details on a second vehicle that was involved. Authorities believe another vehicle was attempting to exit the interstate onto Donald Lee Hollowell Parkway and then tried to re-enter the highway.
However, police believe the driver lost control and crashed underneath the tractor-trailer before being dragged for several yards.
While police have initiated a traffic fatality investigation, the department said that it hasn't officially determined whether anyone died - or how many - due to how severely the vehicle was burned.