Turnpike scampi: Shrimp truck bursts into flames

WEST DEPTFORD — The holiday drive on the New Jersey Turnpike in South Jersey was slowed by an early morning truck fire.

A tractor trailer carrying a load of frozen shrimp caught fire around 2:40 a.m. on the shoulder of the highway between Exit 3 for Route 168 and Wxit 2 for Route 322, according to Trooper Alejandro Goez, a spokesman for the State Police.

The driver managed to detach the trailer from the cab before it became fully engulfed, according to Goez. No injuries were reported as a result of the fire.

The right lane was closed for repairs to the roadway and removal of the trailer for several hours, which created a multi-mile delay for holiday travelers trying to get an early start. The lane was reopened around 11 a.m.

Contact reporter Dan Alexander at Dan.Alexander@townsquaremedia.com or via Twitter @DanAlexanderNJ