Photo from viewer of tractor-trailer fire on Thruway, courtesy WHEC-TV (click for larger version)
At 9 a.m. Tuesday morning, an Xpress Natural Gas (XNG) tractor-trailer carrying a full load of compressed natural gas (CNG) canisters caught fire on the New York Thruway (I-90) in Montgomery County, triggering a hazardous materials emergency and closing the highway between Little Falls and Canajoharie. The intense blaze required firefighters to call in water tankers from surrounding areas due to a lack of local hydrants. Following federal safety protocols, authorities evacuated 165 residents within a one-mile radius of the scene. The situation was successfully brought under control by 11 a.m., allowing residents to return home. Fortunately, there were no injuries. The question is, why did the rig catch on fire? And, did any of the CNG canisters explode?
1/9/26 UPDATE: We now know the likely cause the rig caught fire. See below.
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