Interstate 65 has been reopened after an emergency asphalt replacement to repair damage done by a semi truck explosion. 

The accident happened on Monday afternoon, April 21st near exit 230 on southbound Interstate 65, north of SR 10.

The Indiana State Police report that the driver initially pulled over onto the shoulder to investigate a mechanical issue, and quickly noticed a small brake fire. The driver then attempted to put out the fire with a fire extinguisher, but she was unsuccessful, and the fire soon spread to the rest of the tractor trailer. 

The semi truck was loaded with paint cans at the time of the fire, which caused multiple mini explosions and increased the intensity of the fire. The fire “quickly spread to the adjacent trees and even caught the asphalt roadway surface on fire,” the ISP wrote in a release. 

The truck driver was not hurt in the incident, but the fire did prompt a hazmat response and force the closure of I-65 to all traffic due to the “smoke and dangerous situation.”

Once the fire was extinguished, the northbound lanes of the interstate were reopened. One southbound lane was opened temporarily to allow stuck traffic to pass through, but was closed again once the vehicles were cleared. 

The southbound side of I-65 remained closed overnight to allow for an emergency asphalt replacement to repair the “7700 sq. ft. of asphalt 4 inches deep, and 6 inches in some spots,” that was damaged in the inferno. 

As of 5:15 a.m. on April 22nd, I-65 was completely reopened. The repairs were completed by construction company Reith-Riley. No other information about the incident has been released.