Gaby Arancibia | gaby.arancibia@wtop.com
August 4, 2025, 9:06 PM
A vehicle fire on Interstate 95 left commuters stranded in miles’ worth of traffic delays on Monday in Maryland.
The fire was reported on the northbound lanes of I-95 near MD-198
It’s unclear what prompted the fire, or if any injuries were sustained from the incident.
“You can see the smoke in Laurel. A car fire raging,” WTOP traffic reporter Dave Dildine said of the incident. “This thing is burning to the ground. Tires exploding — a running fuel fire.”
WTOP’s Brian Albin added that the blaze prompted a traffic backup that stretched for a little over two miles as the interstate’s three left lanes were closed to commuters.
Officials were able to extinguish the fire just after 7:30 p.m. “If it was a pizza, it would be described as charred right now,” Albin said of the car.
While all northbound lanes have reopened, some delays are anticipated as normal traffic flows resume.
Get breaking news and daily headlines delivered to your email inbox by signing up here.
© 2025 WTOP. All Rights Reserved. This website is not intended for users located within the European Economic Area.
Gaby comes to WTOP from Sputnik News where she spent the last eight years working her way up from social media manager to writer, and then senior editor.
5425 Wisconsin Ave
Chevy Chase, MD 20815
hello@wtop.com
202.895.5000
Copyright © 2025 by WTOP. All rights reserved. This website is not intended for users located within the European Economic Area.
