Tractor-trailer fire closes I-87 exit near Knightdale early Thursday
A pre-dawn tractor-trailer fire shut Exit 9 on I-87 near Smithfield Road, adding to a string of fire-related disruptions on the Knightdale corridor.
A tractor-trailer fire shut down Exit 9 on Interstate 87 near Knightdale early Thursday, disrupting access at Smithfield Road before sunrise and forcing crews to secure the scene. Wake County deputies said the 18-wheeler caught fire around 2:45 a.m., a time when the corridor is usually carrying freight, shift workers and early commuters through eastern Wake County.
Officials did not immediately say what caused the blaze, and investigators were still trying to determine whether the driver was injured. The closure affected the exit itself while responders worked around the burning truck, a situation that can quickly turn a routine traffic stop into a hazardous cleanup when a commercial vehicle is involved.
The immediate stakes were practical. I-87 is one of the main routes tying Knightdale, Zebulon and the eastern edge of Wake County to Raleigh and surrounding distribution routes, so even a single truck fire can ripple into delivery delays and longer detours for drivers heading into the day. When emergency crews need space to fight the fire and clear debris, traffic can back up fast, especially before dawn when alternate routes are limited.
The incident also fit a pattern that drivers on the corridor have seen before. In November 2024, another tractor-trailer fire near Exit 9 closed southbound lanes for several hours after a rear-end crash involving a tanker truck, and State Highway Patrol said one person was hurt, though the injuries were not life-threatening. In February 2026, another vehicle-fire disruption on I-87 near Knightdale shut northbound lanes before some traffic was able to move again.
That history matters because Interstate 87 between Smithfield and Hodge roads has also faced overnight construction closures tied to the Complete 540 project. On a corridor already shaped by lane shifts, detours and work zones, an emergency like Thursday’s fire can compound the pressure on drivers, delivery schedules and first responders trying to keep traffic moving safely.
Travelers in the area were being steered to real-time traffic updates from the North Carolina Department of Transportation’s DriveNC system as crews worked to reopen the affected area and clear the aftermath of the fire.
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