Truck full of sweet potatoes goes up in flames, closing I-4 lanes

LAKELAND (FOX 13) - A truck full of sweet potatoes caught fire along Interstate 4 this morning, closing westbound lanes and backing up traffic for hours.

According to the Florida Highway Patrol, it was just after 5 a.m. when the truck suffered a “mechanical issue” and caught fire north of Lakeland.

The driver was able to escape unharmed, but the truck quickly became engulfed in flames.  Troopers closed the highway’s westbound lanes due to the fire and smoke, though by 9 a.m., two lanes had reopened.

An unrelated four-vehicle crash a few miles away also contributed to significant traffic delays.