A semitrailer caught fire Monday morning at the entrance of Parleys Canyon, leading to significant delays on Interstate 80 that lasted into the afternoon.
According to the Utah Highway Patrol, the brakes on a semi-truck caught fire just before the Foothill Drive exit on westbound I-80. The Utah Department of Transportation UDOT reported the fire at 11:17 a.m.
All westbound lanes were closed after the incident, and crews spent hours cleaning up and removing the truck. The highway reopened around 4:30 p.m., but UDOT warned that westbound drivers could still face delays of 2-3 hours.
Shortly after the road reopened, another semi-truck stalled in the center lane a few miles east of the original scene, causing more traffic backups. However, by mid-evening, traffic returned to normal.
During the initial closure, traffic was backed up over 10 miles, reaching Parleys Summit. Many drivers opted for alternate routes through Emigration Canyon and Big Cottonwood Canyon via Guardsman Pass, but those routes also experienced delays of at least an hour due to the surge in traffic.
A summer slope stabilization project in Emigration Canyon added to the delays, as construction reduced the road to a single shared lane with a temporary stoplight system.
Some passengers, like Charlie Nodus, took the delays in stride, enjoying the scenery and even getting out of their vehicles to walk and exercise. It’s hard to be in a bad mood with such beautiful surroundings, Nodus said.
Fortunately, the truck driver was able to safely pull over and disconnect the truck from the trailer. No injuries were reported.
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