Deadly tractor-trailer crash shuts down I-85 for hours, trooper says
Interstate is now reopen
UPDATED 6:38 AM EDT Jul 15, 2016
FRANKLIN COUNTY, Ga. —The fiery crash of two tractor-trailers killed one person, injured another and shut down both lanes of Interstate 85 near the Georgia / South Carolina line for about four hours Thursday afternoon.
The collision happened at mile marker 169 around 2 p.m., Franklin County Georgia Sheriff Steve Thomas said.
Sky 4 was overhead as dozens of first responders worked at the scene.
One of the tractor-trailers appeared destroyed by the fire.
Franklin County Chief Deputy Coroner Ken Smith confirmed that one person was killed and another injured in the crash.
A News 4 crew said at about 3:30 p.m. that traffic was already backed up past the state line in Anderson County. Traffic was being diverted off I-85 in Hart County, Georgia.
At about 6 p.m., one southbound lane was reopened and traffic was beginning to move slowly, though the backup at 6:20 p.m. was still about four to five miles long.
At 6:30 p.m., a News 4 crew reported that traffic was backed up just one exit short of the Georgia/South Carolina line.
All lanes are now open.