MILAN TOWNSHIP (WWJ) - A semi truck hauling residential-grade fireworks ignited in a spectacular fashion on Friday morning while traveling on US-23 in Monroe County.
Milan Area Fire Department Chief Robert Stevens told WWJ's Brooke Allen that no one was hurt in the incident, but the exploding fireworks caused a major freeway closure as authorities rushed to extinguish the burning truck.
"[It was] quite the fireworks show," he added.
WWJ traffic reporter KT said the semi truck went up in flames just before 7 a.m. in Milan Township, near Dundee, in Monroe County.
According to Stevens, the driver of the semi pulled off to the side of the road after noticing one of the two tandem trailers he was hauling had caught fire.
The chief said their initial investigation leads them to believe a brake failure is to blame.
"The fire progressed when we arrived on scene, the first trailer was fully involved," the chief continued. "There was several hundred pounds of residential grade fireworks that were on loaded onto the truck, going to a retail store. They and along with other material in the truck ignited."
Stevens said the fireworks were able to get airborne after the fire burned away the top to the trailer.
"They did what they were designed to do -- go in the air and explode."
Stevens described the situation as very dangerous, but the driver was able to get out of the truck and to a safe distance before the cargo started going off. Because the fireworks were only residential grade, the chief said none of them got very high overhead.
Both trailers were totaled in the incident, Stevens added, along with all its the contents, but the tractor was salvaged.
Drivers were urged to seek an alternative routes when authorities closed both the northbound lanes of US-23 at M-50 and the southbound lanes at Cone Road.
Drivers headed north were backed up for at least four miles at Brewer Rd., KT reported.
Police in Dundee reported that Village streets were packed with detoured drivers.
The freeway has since been reopened, KT reported.
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