Fireworks Trailer Catches Fire on I-75 Near Ooltewah
A vehicle fire triggered a series of pyrotechnic explosions along Interstate 75 near Ooltewah Saturday evening, turning a routine stretch of highway into a hazardous zone. The incident occurred near mile marker 14, close to the Ooltewah exit, where fireworks stored inside a trailer began detonating and shooting in multiple directions as the vehicle burned.
Authorities shut down I-75 in both directions to protect motorists from errant projectiles and debris. Witness video captured from a nearby overpass showed thick smoke and bright flashes coming from the trailer. No injuries were reported.
Response and Investigation
The Chattanooga Fire Department and Tri-Community Volunteer Fire Department led containment efforts, with additional support from Catoosa County and Highway 58 fire units. Because fireworks continued igniting intermittently throughout the blaze, crews were forced to maintain a cautious distance and could not immediately approach the vehicle.
The closure caused significant traffic delays across the Ooltewah and Chattanooga area, with commuters directed to seek alternate routes during peak cleanup operations. The Tennessee Department of Transportation continued debris removal well after the fire was extinguished. The cause of the initial fire remains under investigation, and authorities have not released information about the vehicle's owner or the fireworks' intended destination.