Semi hauling sweet potatoes catches fire near Central Point

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A semi truck pulling a trailer full of sweet potatoes caught fire Tuesday night on Interstate 5 near Central Point and was blazing by the time firefighters arrived. The incident happened at 11:47 p.m. just north of exit 33 in the northbound lanes. The vehicle’s driver, whose identity was not immediately available, pulled over and was able to disconnect the trailer, according to Jackson County Fire District No. 3 spokeswoman Ashley Blakely. “The driver did everything he could to disconnect it and be safe,” Blakely said. No one was hurt. Fire District 3, Oregon State Police and the Oregon Department of Transportation responded to the scene. The fire was extinguished, but a sizable gash was left in the left side of the trailer. The slow lane near the site of the fire was closed through the night until just after 8 a.m. Wednesday for salvage operations. No one was hurt, fire officials said. The cause of the fire was not immediately available. Reach reporter Ryan Pfeil at [email protected] or 541-776-4468.