Truck Fire Backs Up Traffic for 10-Plus Hours In Tolland, Vernon

TOLLAND/VERNON, CT — A tractor-trailer burst into flames early Thursday morning on the eastbound side of Interstate 84 and led to more than 10 hours of traffic congestion from Tolland into Vernon.

The fire erupted at about 12:30 a.m. near the Mountain Spring overpass in Tolland. All eastbound lanes were closed as firefighters tried put out the blaze.

Flames shot up from the vehicle as firefighters doused the flames. One nearby resident described the incident as "a loud one."

Authorities were able to get the left-hand lane open, but traffic crawled along as as a wrecker crew and a state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection unit cleaned up the scene on the shoulder and the right and center lanes.

Traffic spilled onto Route 30 in Vernon and delayed the morning commute for both adults trying to get to work and students heading to their respective campuses.

There were no reported injuries.

State police said the highway was fully open at about 11 a.m.