CLAY COUNTY, Ind – Monday morning around 5:30 a.m., Indiana State Police and Posey Township Fire Department were called to a tractor-trailer fire on Interstate 70 eastbound near the 17 mile marker.  

Police say that a tractor-trailer full of Tyson chicken from Springdale, Arkansas, was being driven by 47-year-old Michael J. Baniel, of Montgomery, Alabama.  Baniel was eastbound when he heard a tire explode on his trailer. Baniel immediately pulled the truck over onto the emergency lane.

Baniel found flames coming from the rear tandems of the trailer. He grabbed his fire extinguisher and attempted to put out the fire, but was unsuccessful. At that time, Baniel disengaged the tractor from the trailer and drove it a safe distance from the burning fire.  He then called 911 and waited for the fire department to arrive.

Interstate 70 eastbound was shut down for approximately one hour while the Posey Township Fire Department extinguished the fire.  Once the fire was extinguished, Interstate 70 was reopened with traffic reduced down to one lane.

All lanes of Interstate 70 eastbound were reopened at approximately 11:00 a.m.