A tire blowout on an 18-wheeler caused significant traffic disruption Friday morning on Highway 218 near Salem. The accident happened around 9:00 a.m. at the intersection of Salem Road and Highway 218, just south of Mount Pleasant.
According to initial reports, the semi suffered a sudden tire failure, causing the driver to lose control and the vehicle to jackknife across the roadway. The truck blocked traffic for roughly an hour as law enforcement and recovery crews worked to clear the scene.
Traffic backups extended north to Old Highway 218, worsened by construction already underway in the area. Iowa State Patrol and Henry County Sheriff’s deputies directed alternating traffic flow, allowing northbound vehicles to move for several minutes before stopping them to let southbound traffic proceed.
Just after 10:00 a.m., the semi was successfully moved out of the roadway, and normal traffic flow was restored.
No injuries have been reported.
KILJ will continue to provide updates if additional information becomes available.