FROSTBURG — The Office of the Maryland State Fire Marshal is investigating a vehicle fire that closed the west lanes of Interstate 68 near Frostburg Thursday morning, according to Shaft Volunteer Fire Department Deputy Chief Roger Bennett.
Bennett, who is also the county’s Department of Emergency Services director, described the vehicle as a commercial work van with seven people inside.
“They heard a loud bang and pulled over and stopped on the right side,” Bennett said. “The vehicle was not in motion at the time of the fire.”
Bennett said that after the vehicle caught fire it drifted across the lanes of traffic and came to rest against the median guardrails.
The state fire marshal was requested because the vehicle was not in motion at the time of the fire, according to Bennett.
Thirteen firefighters from Frostburg, Shaft and Eastern Garrett volunteer fire departments responded, according to Bennett.
A tanker was requested from LaVale Volunteer Fire Department, but was canceled prior to arriving on the scene, according to Bennett.
The incident was reported just after 6:30 a.m. to the Allegany County Joint Communications Center.
“The interstate was shut down completely for a good portion of the time units were on scene,” Bennett said. “We were slowly able to able it back up slowly.”
Bennett said the interstate reopened around 8 a.m.
Request for comment from the fire marshal’s office was not immediately returned Thursday.