Overview
- A pickup towing a box trailer loaded with fireworks caught fire on Interstate 75 near the Ooltewah exit, which broke out Saturday evening and forced crews to shut both directions of the interstate while they fought the blaze.
- Firefighters from the Tri-Community Volunteer Fire Department led the response with mutual aid from Chattanooga and neighboring departments and used lane closures and water shuttles to extinguish the burning trailer; no injuries were reported.
- Video shared by the Chattanooga Fire Department and bystanders shows fireworks launching and exploding from the trailer as it burned, drawing wide public attention but also highlighting the danger to motorists and responders.
- A Tennessee Highway Patrol post-incident inspection documented several federal hazardous-materials violations — including no hazmat registration, no shipping papers, no placards, no emergency response information, no USDOT number when required — and cited the driver, Dalton Beeler, for lacking a hazmat endorsement.
- Investigators suspect a rear-brake fire on the trailer may have started the blaze and have referred the documented violations for further regulatory review, which could lead to federal penalties and changes to enforcement or safety practices for commercial fireworks transport.