18-wheeler hauling fire extinguishers catches fire on I-10

OCEAN SPRINGS -- An 18-wheeler hauling fire extinguishers caught fire in the eastbound lane of Interstate 10 at Old Fort Bayou Road after crashing Tuesday afternoon.

Mississippi Highway Patrol spokesman Sgt. Benjamin Seibert said the 18-wheeler left the road about 1 p.m. Tuesday and hit the Old Fort Bayou Road overpass. That's between exits 50 and 57 in Jackson County.

Seibert said I-10 and parts of Old Fort Bayou Road were on fire after the wreck.

The truck was driven by Arthur Roger Apple, 73, of Efland, N.C. Apple was taken to Ocean Springs Hospital with non-life threatening injuries, Seibert said.

"The truck went off the road to the left and it hit the guard rail," Seibert said.

Seibert said the westbound lane has been reopened and the right eastbound lane is open.

"Traffic is slow but it's starting to move better," he said.

Parts of Old Fort Bayou Road also were closed until debris from the fire was removed.

The accident is under investigation by the Mississippi Highway Patrol.

This story was originally published December 8, 2015 at 3:58 PM with the headline "18-wheeler hauling fire extinguishers catches fire on I-10 ."