An early-morning semi fire in Newton County (Friday) closed a portion of Interstate 65 North for more than seven hours.

Indiana State Police said it was around 4 am when a semi hauling a trailer full of cereal and vegetable oil stopped on the northbound shoulder of I-65 in Newton County, about two miles north of the Demotte/Roselawn Exit.

Police said the driver had a flat tire and his brakes had caught fire. When crews arrived, the tractor and trailer were engulfed in flames. They said the fire kept reigniting itself due to the vegetable oil.

94.1 WGFA