THIS IS KOIN. 6 NEWS AT NOON. I'M JENNY HANSSON. WE DO HAVE A LOT OF NEWS TO GET TO TODAY, INCLUDING THE PROVIDENCE NURSES STRIKE THAT BEGAN A FEW HOURS AGO. NOW WE WILL GET TO THAT STORY IN A MOMENT. BUT FIRST, THAT PROPANE TANK FIRE THAT IS CAUSING A HEADACHE OUT THERE FOR DRIVERS. JOEL JONES IS LIVE WITH THE VERY LATEST. JOEL WOULD BE FOUND OUT. >> WELL, WE'RE HERE AT THE SKIDMORE OVERPASS WHERE, AS YOU MENTIONED, BELOW THE I-5 MORE NORTHBOUND LANES ARE STILL CLOSED. CREWS NOW WORKING TO REPAVE THE ROAD AFTER THAT TERRIFYING FIRE WHICH FIRE OFFICIALS DESCRIBED LOOKED LIKE A SCENE FROM A MOVIE WITH PRO TAKE PROPANE TANKS EXPLODING THROUGH THE AIR, EVEN FLYING ACROSS THE INTERSTATE. >> IT RUMBLED MY BRAIN. IT SHOOK MY IT SOUNDED REALLY LOUD LIKE A LIGHT. ALMOST LIKE HIROSHIMA. LIKE WE'RE GETTING BOMBED. BUMBLE, BUMBLE, BUMBLE. >> SCARY SCENE FOR NEIGHBORS AND COMMUTERS DRIVING ALONG. I-5 IN NORTH PORTLAND AFTER A TRAILER CARRYING DOZENS OF FIVE-GALLON PROPANE TANKS CAUGHT FIRE THIS MORNING. PORTLAND FIRE AND RESCUE SAYS THE BLAZE BROKE OUT JUST BEFORE 5 NEAR THE NORTH KILLINGSWORTH INTERSECTION. CREWS ARRIVED TO FIND THE TRACTOR ALREADY DISCONNECTED FROM THE RIG. THE DRIVER GONE AND FLAMES POURING OUT OF THE TRAILER. FIRE CREWS SAY IT DIDN'T TAKE LONG FOR THOSE TANKS TO CATCH FIRE IN BEGIN EXPLODING, FORCING THEM TO SHUT DOWN ALL LANES. >> THE COMMAND OFFICER THOUGHT UPON ARRIVAL THAT THEY MIGHT BE ABLE STOP THE FIRE IN THE PERIOD OF ABOUT 15 SECONDS WITH THE INCREASED THE NUMBER OF TANKS GETTING INVOLVED AND BEGINNING TO POP LIKE POPCORN ACROSS THE FREEWAY. THEY QUICKLY DECIDED TO CREATE A SAFETY SHADOW HAVE A DIFFERENT PLAN. >> TO EXTINGUISH THE FIRE, OFFICIALS SAY THEY USE TANKS TO LUG NEARLY 5,000 GALLONS OF WATER ACROSS THE FREEWAY BECAUSE THE DRIVER DID NOT STAY ON THE SCENE. THEY AREN'T SURE IF THEY WERE HURT, BUT NO ONE ELSE WAS REPORTED INJURED. THE OREGON DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION TELLS US THE NORTHBOUND LANES OF I-5 WILL LIKELY REMAIN CLOSED FOR MOST OF TODAY AS CREWS WORK TO CLEAN UP AND ASSESS THE DAMAGE. NOW, WE'RE TOLD ASSESSMENTS FOUND NO STRUCTURAL DAMAGE TO TO THE OVERPASS THAT I'M STANDING ON HERE. BUT AS YOU CAN SEE, AS THESE CREWS CONTINUE TO WORK, THEY STILL HAVE A LONG WAY TO GO BEFORE THOSE NORTHBOUND LANES ARE BACK OPEN REPORTING LIVE IN NORTH PORTLAND, I'M WHAT A MESS. ALL RIGHT, JOEL, THANK YOU FOR THAT UPDATE AS WELL AS SAYING THIS CRASH HAS CAUSED A LOT OF TRAFFIC BACKUPS THROUGHOUT OUR AREA. WELL, HERE'S A LOOK AT I-84 AT 28TH. A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE USING THAT AS A DETOUR EARLIER THIS MORNING. LOOKS LIKE TRAFFIC IS. >> GOING PRETTY SMOOTHLY RIGHT NOW IN BOTH DIRECTIONS ON I-84 ANOTHER LOOK RIGHT NOW AT THE MLK BOULEVARD AT FREMONT. SAD. A LOT OF PEOPLE USING SOME OF THESE SIDE ROADS THAT RUN PARALLEL TO I-5 TO GET AROUND AND IT LOOKS LIKE WE ARE SEEING SOME HEAVY TRAFFIC, ESPECIALLY IN THE NORTHBOUND DIRECTION. THERE ALSO AND NAITO PARKWAY AT MARKET STREET. IT DOES LOOK PRETTY CONGESTED THERE, TOO, ABOUT GOING NORTHBOUND IS THAT PEOPLE WAY TO MAYBE GET ON SOME OF THE BRIDGES OR MAKE THEIR WAY AROUND. I-5 USING NATO. SO REMEMBER, IF YOU ARE LOOKING FOR A DETOUR, SO IS EVERYONE ELSE EXPECT THOSE DELAYS ODOT SAYING TAKE IT FOR TO DIE TO A 5 TO GET TO WASHINGTON. WE JUST SAW THE TRAFFIC NOT THAT BAD ON I-84. NOW IF YOU ARE TAKING THE FREMONT BRIDGE, YOU WILL BE REROUTED TO I-5 SOUTH. YOU CAN CONTINUE TO LOOK FOR UPDATES ON KOIN DOT COM
