GWINNETT COUNTY, Ga. — It was an eerie scene on Interstate 85 on Monday as a car caught fire near the location of this weekend’s deadly tanker fire.
Triple Team Traffic’s Mark Arum first reported the crash near Jimmy Carter Boulevard on Channel 2 Action News This Morning around 6:30 a.m.
Gwinnett County fire responded to the scene and found the car fully engulfed in flames.
NewsChopper 2 was over the scene, and showed several lanes blocked due to the raging fire.
Authorities said the driver of a stolen car struck a car in front of it, which caused the car to overturn and hit a tractor trailer.
The driver of the stolen car ran from the scene and authorities are searching for him.
One person was taken to the hospital with minor injuries.
Police said they still don’t have a good description of the suspect.
Unbelievable! Another vehicle fire in the same area where we had the massive big-rig crash/fire on I-85/nb near Jimmy Carter Blvd. on Saturday! #wsbtv #ATLtraffic pic.twitter.com/6HgSr5T1w2
— Mark Arum (@MarkArum) February 3, 2020
The fire happened very close to a massive tanker fire on I-85 over the weekend. Sadly, two people died in that crash.
[PHOTOS: Fire erupts on I-85 after crash]
Channel 2′s Tyisha Fernandes talked to officials about whether an issue on the road is causing repeated tractor-trailer crashes -- but they said there is no connection between the two.
There is a corridor study going on in the area, so if there is an issue, officials should see it.
Abdel Baba works at a furniture store near where both crashes happened. He said the driver in Monday’s crash should turn him or herself in.
“You just have to pay from what you just did, and it’s terrible, but you just have to do the right thing,” Abdel said.
Abdel said that now, he’s going to drive a lot safer.
“It’s really scary. And especially before two days ago, you know, I was driving normally,” Baba said. “Now, I’m more careful.”
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