(Duluth, Ga., November 3, 2015) –  Firefighters responded on Tuesday, November 3, 2015 at 1:17a.m., to a report of a tanker truck fire on I-85 N/B, north of Highway 316 in Duluth.  Crews arrived to find the rear axle and brakes underneath the tanker well-involved.  The truck was on the right-shoulder of the roadway, just south of Sugarloaf Parkway.

Firefighters quickly deployed attack hose lines to control the blaze; and shutdown all northbound lanes of the interstate due to the hazardous conditions and fire equipment in the roadway.  The truck was carrying liquid glue, which was slowly leaking from the damaged tanker.  The fire department’s Hazardous Materials Response Team was requested to control the leak.  Approximately 10 to 15 gallons of product spilled on the ground before the leak was finally stopped.  The tanker is reportedly from a company out of Illinois and was traveling through Gwinnett County.  The driver noticed the fire and was able to pull the truck to the shoulder of the interstate.  He quickly disconnected the cab from the tanker to keep the flames from spreading.  The cab of the truck was not damaged.  The hazmat unit remained at the scene awaiting a (local) private clean-up company to arrive.  There was no diesel fuel leak from the truck itself.

Gwinnett Police and Georgia DOT responded to the scene to assist with traffic control.  Motorists were temporarily diverted to the connector/distributor lanes for safe travel.  Crews were able to reopen the two left-lanes (includes the HOV Lane) around 2:27a.m.         

EQUIPMENT AT THE SCENE INCLUDED: 2-Engines, 1-Ladder Truck, 1-Squad, 1-FD Hazmat Unit and 1-FD Water Tender