Hay Fire May Cause Rush Hour Delays on I-66

by ARLnow.com July 5, 2011 at 3:41 pm 5,035 7 Comments

Update at 7:20 p.m. — As of 6:45 p.m., all lanes on I-66 have reopened.

A tractor trailer fire in Fairfax County may tie up rush hour traffic on I-66 this evening.

A truck carrying hay caught fire near Route 123 this afternoon. The hay quickly became fully-engulfed, leaving a smoldering mess that forced authorities to close all westbound lanes of I-66. At least two Bobcat front loaders have been brought in to help with the firefighting and clean-up efforts.

Backups on westbound I-66 now extend to the Beltway. The backups may worsen as rush hour approaches. Cars have been spotted crossing the median on I-66 in an attempt to get out of the miles-long traffic jam.

Westbound Route 50, a possible alternate route, is also backed up to the Beltway.

Photo courtesy @DavidLyonHall

PikerShorts

What an idiot crossing the median. Typical of many drivers around here whose time is more valuable and important than others.
- ARLrez
  
  Amen PikerShorts, Amen +1
- CrystalMikey
  
  I’d laugh my tail off if he got (deservedly) stuck.
TGEoA

The white smoke can mean only one thing: No lighted fields for DJO
- ARL
  
  Well played!
othersideoftheriver

District Taco?
CarsSuck

I don’t pity any idiot who blindly gets on the expressway in the late afternoon without checking the traffic first. WTOP is good, but the google maps app on smartphones is dead on accurate.

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