Truck fire snarled Christmas night interstate traffic

NORTH JACKSON — A Prime Inc. tractor trailer carrying a load of pork caught fire around 11 p.m. Thursday in the eastbound lanes at the junction of Interstates 76 and 80.

The truck driver pulled to the side of the road due to a fire on one of the vehicle’s tires, said Jackson Township Fire Chief Wayne McDougal.

The driver could not extinguish the fire and it quickly spread to both the tractor and trailer, causing traffic to back up for about two hours while fire crews from Jackson Township, Craig Beach and Lordstown fought the fire, McDougal said. Eastbound lanes on I-76 were closed, as well as the ramps to get onto the turnpike. No one was injured, he said.