A tanker truck carrying liquid asphalt overturned and caught fire in the northbound lanes of the New Jersey Turnpike in Burlington County Sunday afternoon causing a traffic nightmare.
The truck overturned in the northbound outer lanes at mile marker 57 in Chesterfield Township, New Jersey just after noon, state police said. That's between Exit 4/Route 73 and Exit 5/Mt. Holly.
The impact ignited the payload resulting in a large fire. The truck also leaked some of the asphalt.
Troopers said the driver was able to escape without injury.
The truck took out a large portion of the median on the toll road, photos and video shared by drivers show.
State police shut down all northbound lanes of the highway for about an hour and were diverting drivers off at Exit 4.
Just after 1:30 p.m., state police opened the left inner lanes and right outer lanes to traffic, but drivers should expect considerable delays. Cleanup work is continuing in the center part of the highway.
Local
The cause of the crash is under investigation.
