Semi-truck explosion, fire closes Interstate 65 in NW Indiana

UPDATE: I-65 reopened early Tuesday morning.

An explosion and semi-truck fire in northwest Indiana has closed a section of Interstate 65, police said.

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According to an update from Indiana State Police, the highway was closed in both directions between exits 230 and 240 near Roselawn and Demotte due to the fire, which broke out Monday afternoon.

Video of the raging inferno was posted to social media by Indiana State Police Monday:

The northbound lanes of the highway reopened after the fire was extinguished, but the southbound lanes will remain closed overnight for emergency pavement repair, according to the Indiana Department of Transportation.

It is believed the driver of the truck had pulled over to repair a flat tire when the brakes on the rig overheated, catching fire. That fire then spread to the inside of the trailer, which was loaded with cans of spray paint, according to officials.

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Those cans exploded and further spread the fire, causing the raging inferno that was caught on video.

The blaze was so hot that it seriously damaged the pavement on the roadway, which will lead to a lengthy closure of the highway that could last into Wednesday.

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