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Hot brakes cause I-79 fire

A tow-behind trailer's hot brakes were blamed for a fire Monday morning on Interstate 79 in northern Butler County, state police said.

WORTH TWP — A tow-behind trailer’s hot brakes were blamed for a fire Monday morning on Interstate 79 in northern Butler County, state police said.

The fire shortly before 7:30 a.m. ignited at least two tires on the empty trailer in one of the southbound lanes but no one was injured.

The driver was able to get out and disconnect the truck from the trailer, according to emergency crew. The driver, whose name was not immediately released, drove the truck ahead and out of the way of the fire to the trailer.

Another trucker stopped and rushed to the scene with a fire extinguisher. He was able was to knock down the blaze long enough until Slippery Rock volunteer firefighters arrived and put it out.

The fire reduced southbound traffic to one lane until about 8 a.m.

No other information was immediately available.

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