MEMPHIS, Tenn. — The southbound lanes of I-55 were shut down Sunday night after a big rig caught on fire near West McLemore. The Memphis Fire Department said there was no way to put out the fire, so they had to let it burn.
I-55 already has been bumper to bumper since the I-40 bridge closed three weeks ago. This accident underscores the importance of getting that bridge back open as soon as possible.
Officials tell Local 24 News progress is being made on the I-40 bridge. Crews attached giant steel plates to the broken beam, and sometime this week the Tennessee Department of Transportation is expected to release a timeline for re-opening. U.S Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg is scheduled to be in Memphis Thursday to check out the bridge.