Truck fifire snarls turnpike traffiffic

PALM BEACH GARDENS — A tractor-trailer carrying hay caught fifire Friday morning, backing up traffiffic on Florida’s Turnpike as far away as Palm Beach Gardens to the north and West Palm Beach to the south.

The fifire shut down southbound lanes near the Beeline Highway exit.

Au t h o r i t i e s s a y a t i r e blowout likely ignited the blaze. The trailer’s cargo of hay quickly caught fifire and caused the tractor-trailer t o b e a b o u t 4 0 p e r c e n t engulfed. The driver was able to escape before the blaze, highway authorities said.

The tractor-trailer was the only vehicle involved in the incident, authorities said.

The fifire fifirst was reported at 6:25 a.m. Palm Beach Gardens Fire Rescue crews arrived at about 6:35 a.m. About two hours after the fifire ignited, city crews and Palm Beach County Fire Rescue authorities had extinguished the flflames.

All lanes of the turnpike had reopened to traffiffic by about 1:15 p.m., the Florida Highway Patrol said.