Massive Fire Destroys Tractor Trailer Temporarily Shuts Down RT 17

Some Hudson Valley commuters undoubtedly had their usual Tuesday commutes complicated, especially if they were traveling on Route 17 during the early morning hours as a tractor-trailer caught fire and then burst into flames.

Early Morning Tractor Trailer Blaze

The early fire had occurred on Route 17 in the Woodbury area in Orange County near both Route 32 and the New York State Thruway.

Emergency personnel from the Woodbury Fire Department quickly arrived at the scene and began to get the situation under control.

The tractor-trailer according to reports from News 12 had been en route to Virginia as the trailer contained and was delivering a cargo of frozen chickens. Traffic was shut down westbound as firefighters battled the intense blaze.

After a few hours, Woodbury Fire Department had managed to extinguish the flames of the fire however the fire did its fair share of damage. The trailer as well as the cargo was completely consumed by the flames destroying everything inside.

After the flames were extinguished an investigation took place and revealed the cause of the fire was the vehicle's breaks. Though the vehicle as well as the cargo were lost, no individuals were harmed during the event.

Footage from the scene of the fire can be watched at the bottom of this page, courtesy of the Woodbury Fire Department.

Mayhem on Hudson Valley Roads

This latest incident is just one of many incidents that have occurred over the last few months on major roadways here in the Hudson Valley. Many of these cases have also involved people being seriously injured and others having lost their lives.

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Just last week, another incident of vehicular fire was reported, this event having occurred on the Taconic State Parkway. The New York State Police and other emergency personnel arrived on the scene and got the situation handled, however, one individual, an East Fishkill man, perished in the event. To read that story continue reading below.

East Fishkill Man Identified Following Fatal Accident on the Taconic

In addition to a number of accidents occurring on major local roads lately, there have also been a number of arrests made by local law enforcement due to a number of individuals attempting to smuggle drugs into or through the state.

In one incident just before Christmas, a Brooklyn man was caught by New York State Police while on the Taconic, attempting to traffic a truly astonishing amount of illegal cannabis through the state. The suspect was subsequently arrested and hit with felony charges. You may read about that particular story below.

POT MAN POT MAN: Busted by NYSP on the Taconic

As all drivers are aware, one must pay attention to and observe your surroundings at all times while behind the wheel of a vehicle. Hudson Valley drivers, may want to exercise some extra caution so as to NOT be the next headline in local news coverage.