Morning commuters faced blocked lanes from crash, fire on I-26

NORTH CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCSC) - Anyone who took I-26 eastbound to work Tuesday morning had two good reasons if they arrived late at the office.

Just as a crash that blocked two left lanes was being cleared near the Aviation Avenue exit, the South Carolina Highway Patrol reported a vehicle on fire just two miles from the crash scene that blocked two other lanes.

The crash happened at 8:26 a.m. at mile marker 211 at the Aviation Avenue exit. It blocked two lanes for approximately a half-hour, long enough to cause a backup of at least six miles. The estimated drive time from Summerville to downtown Charleston peaked at about 122 minutes, more than two hours, during the lane closures.

The crash scene was cleared and those two lanes were reopened just as word came of the vehicle fire reported at 9:03 a.m. near mile marker 209, two miles west of the crash.

The South Carolina Highway Patrol said the crash did not involve fatalities but did not immediately have additional details to provide. They were also waiting for information on the vehicle fire.

There was no immediate word on possible injuries from either incident.