One person was killed and two others injured in a three-vehicle crash involving a tractor-trailer in Iredell County Wednesday afternoon.
The wreck, which also involved an SUV and a pickup truck, happened before 2:45 p.m. on I-40 about two miles east of the I-77 interchange near mile marker 156, shutting down the interstate’s westbound lanes.
Witnesses at the scene said there was a brush fire in the area at the time of the crash. They said the crash happened when drivers slowed down due to smoke drifting across the roadway.
By 3:30 p.m., traffic was backed up for about 6 miles. One firefighter told WBTV that it would take a “long time” for the interstate to completely re-open.
No further information has been released.