Fire blocks northbound lanes of I-5 near downtown Seattle, long backups ensue

SEATTLE -- A truck fire blocked all northbound lanes of Interstate 5 near the Washington State Convention Center at 8:30 a.m. Tuesday, the Washington State Department of Transportation said.

WSDOT first tweeted about the traffic backup. At 8:37 a.m., all traffic was forced off at Olive Way.  By 10 a.m., WSDOT said three lanes of Interstate 5 through downtown Seattle reopened.

The Washington State Patrol reports the Tuesday morning accident sparked a truck fire. Emergency personnel were on the scene and there were reports of injuries.

Transportation officials still advised drivers to use alternate routes. The roadway had a 7-mile backup at one point and significant traffic delays were reported around the region.