photo by: Chris Conde/Journal-World

Emergency crews fight a semitrailer fire on the westbound Kansas Turnpike Friday, July 22, 2022, a few miles east of Lawrence.

Story updated at 7:38 p.m. Friday:

Emergency crews responded Friday afternoon to a report of a semitrailer fire on the westbound Kansas Turnpike near the border between Douglas and Leavenworth counties.

Traffic was shut down in westbound lanes from the 206 mile marker shortly after 3:30 p.m. Vehicles were backed up all the way to the Lawrence service area about 2 miles away, as firefighters worked the scene. Eastbound traffic was moving, but was down to one lane. The semitrailer was under the Kansas Highway 32 bridge that crosses the turnpike; traffic on the bridge was also shut down. The truck bore the USA Truck logo, and heavy smoke was visible throughout the area.

Kansas Highway Patrol trooper Ryan Walton said no injuries had been reported in the fire, and that no vehicles other than the semitrailer were involved. He said the trailer was hauling “general freight” and that it was not carrying any hazardous materials.

At around 5:45 p.m., Walton said passenger vehicles that were backed up because of the fire had been escorted off of the turnpike, but that commercial trucks and other vehicles were still waiting. Westbound motorists approaching the scene were being instructed to exit at Exit 212, just east of the Lawrence service area, Walton said.

By about 7:10 p.m., one westbound lane of traffic was back open, according to the Kansas Turnpike Authority’s Twitter account.

photo by: Chris Conde/Journal-World

Emergency crews fight a semitrailer fire on the westbound Kansas Turnpike Friday, July 22, 2022, a few miles east of Lawrence.

photo by: Chris Conde

Emergency crews respond to a semitrailer fire east of Lawrence on the Kansas Turnpike on Friday, July 22, 2022.

photo by: Chris Conde

Emergency crews respond to a semitrailer fire east of Lawrence on the Kansas Turnpike on Friday, July 22, 2022.

photo by: Chris Conde

Smoke rises from a semitrailer fire east of Lawrence on the Kansas Turnpike on Friday, July 22, 2022.

photo by: Chris Conde/Journal-World

A view of the Kansas Turnpike looking west from the Loring Road bridge after a semitrailer fire shut down lanes of traffic on Friday, July 22, 2022.