ROCKVILLE, Md. — Recyclables inside a truck on Interstate 270 caught fire Wednesday after one of the truck's tires blew out, initially closing six northbound lanes north of Montrose Road around 1:30 p.m.
The best way to extinguish the truck's smoldering contents was to spread them on the roadway, Pete Piringer, spokesman for Montgomery County Fire & Rescue, said in a tweet. So some lanes remained blocked more than 90 minutes later, causing commuting delays.
The truck's driver and two passengers were transported to a nearby hospital, he said. The driver's condition was not available; the passengers had injuries that weren't serious.