A small tanker truck overturned on the 610 North Loop's eastbound lanes before noon Wednesday.
As of 12:30 p.m. the westbound mainlanes had reopened, but the freeway's eastbound lanes remained blocked. Traffic is backed up about four miles to the North Freeway.
The fire has since been put out, but the shutdown will likely last a while as crews work to clean up the mess.
There were no injuries reported, according to the Houston Fire Department.
The driver told authorities a tire blew on his truck, causing it to flip. He crawled out a window before it burst into flames.
The truck's supply of diesel fuel appears to have burned, but the tank itself was not carrying hazardous materials, according to HFD. Experts tell KHOU 11 that this type of truck typically carries waste.