Truck that caught fire at Haymarket loaded with tomatoes

Truck burns underneath one-of-a-kind interchange under construction 

A tractor trailer hauling tomatoes caught fire this morning under a brand new bridge in Haymarket.

The truck was traveling on Interstate 66 when it hit a guard rail. The truck them burst into flames underneath the new bridge that carries Route 15 traffic over I-66, known as the Diverging Diamond Interchange.

The driver of the truck suffered minor injuries. Inspection crews from the Virginia Department of Transportation went to investigate damage to the bridge after fire crews extinguished the blaze, said Haymarket Mayor David Leake.

This was the first fire at the new bridge, and “it fared well through it, it seems,” added Leake.

More from Virginia State Police:

At 8:06 a.m., Monday (July 18, 2016), Virginia State Police Trooper R.E. Curiel responded to a single-vehicle crash on Interstate 66 under the Route 15 overpass.

A tractor-trailer was traveling east on I-66 when it ran off the left side of the interstate, struck the guardrail, and traveled approximately 1/10 of a mile against the guardrail before coming to a stop. The truck then caught fire.

The driver, Jose E. Martinez, 50, of Brownsville, Texas, suffered minor injuries in the crash. He was charged with reckless driving. Fatigue was a factor in the crash, which remains under investigation.

The tractor-trailer was loaded with tomatoes.

Westbound lanes of I-66 were reopened at about 9 a.m. Eastbound lanes of I-66 will remain closed for cleanup and removal of the charred tractor-trailer. Motorists are advised to seek an alternate route and be prepared for delays.

Photos are attached. The photos are property of the Virginia State Police, which grants permission for the republication and rebroadcast of the images.

Route 15 is closed in both directions on the I-66 overpass this morning due to a tractor trailer fire. Please avoid Route 15 in Haymarket.

— Town of Haymarket (@townofhaymarket) July 18, 2016