CHARLOTTE COUNTY, Fla. -- A truck fire in the southbound lanes of Interstate 75 in Punta Gorda caused a complete roadblock for about three hours Tuesday, but both travel lanes have since reopened.
The tractor trailer fire was near mile marker 164, near the U.S. 17 exit. Several other crashes were also reported in the area.
The crash was reported around 7:20 a.m. and resulted in southbound traffic backing up across the Peace River bridge to the Harborview Boulevard exit in Port Charlotte, at mile marker 167.
Drivers were being routed off I-75 at the Harborview exit and diverted west to U.S. 41 and southbound across the river.
Both southbound travel lanes were reopened around 10:20 a.m.
According to the Charlotte County Sheriff's Office, engineers were called to the scene to assess any potential road damage.
Troopers say water and fuel tanks on the truck also leaked onto the roadway.
I-75 SB is now open (2 lanes). It may be slow moving until traffic thins. Use caution and be safe!
— Charlotte Sheriff (@CCSOFLSheriff) March 13, 2018
