Both lanes of southbound Interstate 5 near Alger were closed for nearly six hours and down to one lane for another three hours for cleanup after a tractor trailer burst into flames late Thursday.
The freeway was fully reopened at approximately 6 a.m. Friday, Washington State Trooper Heather Axtman told The Bellingham Herald in an interview Friday. At around 9:02 p.m. Thursday, the southbound semi driver pulled over after one of the trailer tires caught fire just north of the Bow Hill exit.
“Sounds like that spread to the trailer, and then the trailer was fully engulfed and then the cab,” Axtman told the Herald. “It was carrying pallets, which didn’t help the whole fire situation.” Fire crews from Skagit County, along with assistance from Whatcom County Fire District 18 crews, managed to get the fire out, according to the Pulse Point app.