Semi truck catches fire, closes lanes of I-394 in south suburbs

A semi truck caught fire early Tuesday, closing the southbound lanes of I-394 in the south suburbs.

The truck, hauling deoxidizer, was traveling south about 2:10 a.m. on I-394 near Glenwood Lansing Road when the tractor went up in flames, according to Illinois State Police.

The driver disconnected the vehicle from the tractor and drove a safe distance away to call authorities, state police said. When they arrived, the trailer was fully engulfed in flames.

The cause of the blaze was unknown early Tuesday, and it was extinguished in about an hour, police said. No one was injured.

The entire roadway was shut down from Interstate 80 to Glenwood Lansing Road for about two hours as a hazardous materials response team cleared the scene, police said.

Northbound lanes reopened about 4 a.m., but southbound lanes remained closed at I-80 as of 9 a.m., Trooper David Roman said.