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Truck Fire on I-4 South of Disney World Causes Massive Delays, Lanes Reopen After Hours of Closure
A dramatic truck fire on Interstate 4, just south of Walt Disney World, brought traffic to a standstill for hours yesterday, causing significant delays for drivers in the popular tourist corridor. The incident, involving a semi-truck carrying hazardous fertilizer and another vehicle, occurred near mile marker 58, close to the ChampionsGate exit in Osceola County.
The westbound lanes of I-4, which had been completely shut down for hours, finally reopened shortly after 7:30 p.m., providing much-needed relief for stranded motorists. However, the far left inside lane and Exit 58 to ChampionsGate remained closed for ongoing repairs and cleanup efforts. Eastbound lanes had reopened earlier in the afternoon, just after 4 p.m., nearly six hours after the initial crash. During the extensive closure, traffic had been diverted off Exit 62 to World Drive, impacting travel to and from the Disney parks.
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Florida Highway Patrol (FHP) reported that both drivers involved in the crash remarkably walked away unharmed, a fortunate outcome given the intensity of the fire. Aerial footage from Chopper 2 showed the semi-truck flipped on its side, fully engulfed in flames, as emergency crews worked diligently to extinguish the blaze. The truck’s cargo of fertilizer was identified by the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) as hazardous material, contributing to the extended period required for cleanup and safety protocols.
According to FHP, the incident began when a 29-year-old male from New Jersey, driving a Ford Focus, was traveling in the center-outside westbound lane near mile marker 58, alongside the semi-truck. Investigators are still working to determine which vehicle veered from its lane of travel. The preliminary report indicates that the left side of the Ford Focus struck the right side of the semi-truck. This impact caused the 59-year-old semi-truck driver from Polk City to lose control, leading the truck to run off the roadway onto the median, where it then became fully engulfed in flames.
The extensive cleanup operation required lanes to be closed for an extended period, underscoring the severity of the crash and the hazardous nature of the cargo. The incident served as a stark reminder to drivers in the busy Central Florida region about the potential for unexpected delays on major thoroughfares.
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