Truck catches on fire on Dan Ryan; expressway briefly shut down

CHICAGO (SUN TIMES MEDIA WIRE) - The Dan Ryan was briefly shut down as a semi-truck was engulfed in flames close to the Garfield Red Line stop on the South Side.

At 4:15 a.m., the truck caught on fire near West Garfield Boulevard on the Dan Ryan’s northbound lanes, according to Illinois State Police.

The blaze caused smoke to blanket the expressway as firefighters fought to contain the flames.

The local lanes were shut down for about an hour and a half as officers investigated the fire, but the expressway soon opened up before Sunday morning rush hour.

The driver was able to crawl out of the truck unharmed, and no one else was injured, either, police said.

Police believe the fire was an accident, and no one was in custody.