According to Illinois State Police, a white Freightliner’s semi-trailer caught fire late Wednesday morning while traveling eastbound on I-74. Rosa Rena Smith, 47, of Honea Path, South Carolina, was traveling eastbound I-74 when near milepost 176 one of the left side tires failed on the semi-trailer. Smith pulled over safely to the shoulder of the road, in doing so the failed tire erupted into flames. Smith disconnected the semi-trailer from the truck tractor. The tire then ignited the floor of the semi-trailer’s floor and it’s contents, most of which were household goods. The Cornbelt Fire Department responded quickly and helped extinguish the fire. IDOT, Illinois State Police, Champaign County Sheriff’s department, and Mahomet Police Department diverted the traffic for two hours away from the scene of the fire. Seatbelt was worn by Smith, and there is no charges.
