Truck fire closes I-81 north in downtown Syracuse (photos)

Interstate 81 was closed between exit 17 and 18 on Monday, Dec 12, 2022. (Courtesy Martin Walls)

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Update: All lanes re-opened at 3:55 p.m. Monday.

Original article

Syracuse, N.Y. — A tractor-trailer fire on Interstate 81 in downtown Syracuse closed down the northbound lanes of the elevated highway this morning.

The highway was closed at 8 a.m. near the Adams Street exit, according to an alert from the state Department of Transportation.

All northbound lanes are closed between Exit 17 (Brighton Avenue) and Exit 18 (Adams Street) have been closed, according to a tweet from the Syracuse Police Department. All traffic is being diverted to Interstate 481 North, police said.

Almond Street has been shut down due to falling debris, police said.

Traffic was backed up or slow back to East Brighton Avenue.

The smoke from the fire could be seen for miles.

It appeared the fire destroyed the trailer section of the vehicle.

Syracuse police and firefighters were dispatched to the fire at 7:48 a.m., according to the Onondaga County 911 Center.

Interstate 81 North is closed between exits 17 and 18 after a tractor trailer caught fire on Monday, Dec. 12, 2022.(Zach Wilkie)
A tractor-trailer fire on Interstate 81 near Adams Street in Syracuse on Monday, Dec. 12, 2022. (Provided photo)
A fire destroyed the trailer section of a truck on Interstate 81 in downtown Syracuse on Monday morning, Dec. 12, 2022. (Rylee Kirk | rkirk@syracuse.com)
A driver's view of the fire on Interstate 81 coming into Syracuse from the north on Monday, Dec. 12, 2022. (Rylee Kirk | rkirk@syracuse.com)
A tractor-trailer burns on Interstate 81 near Adams Street in downtown Syracuse on Monday, Dec. 12, 2022. (DOT)

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