SEATTLE — The FedEx tractor that caught fire Wednesday on southbound Interstate 5 was empty, so packages aren’t expected to be damaged by the mess that clogged Seattle traffic for hours.
About 4:30 a.m., the double tractor-trailer was behind a car that hit its brakes, the State Patrol said. When the truck hit its brakes in response, it jackknifed, causing it to buckle and partially flip. The truck’s cab cracked off the frame when it was struck by the truck’s first container, and the truck caught fire near Seneca Street.
The backups lasted past 10 a.m. as drivers tried going southbound on the I-5 express lanes, Aurora Avenue North, 15th Avenue West – and all had major backups Wednesday morning.
Firefighters at the scene put out the FedEx truck fire, but the truck began to smolder again around 6:30 a.m. A fire crew remained at the scene putting out hot spots. Washington State Patrol Trooper Julie Judson said wet weather could have contributed to the crash.
The driver of the truck was able to crawl out of the broken windshield of the cab. He was not hurt.
Click here to see pictures from the truck crash that backed up Seattle traffic Wednesday.
See photos of the crash here and raw video of the crash here