Woman Brings Chicken Chunks To Cars Stuck In I-80 Traffic

JOLIET, IL — One Wilmington woman who was stuck in traffic for a couple of hours Friday afternoon because of the gigantic semi-trailer fire along Interstate 80 in Joliet didn't want her chicken chunks to go to waste.

Kiley, a Wilmington resident, told radio personality Nick Jakusz at FM radio's 95.9 The River that she decided give away her chunks from Chicken-N-Spice to other motorists also stuck in traffic because of the I-80 semi-trailer fire.

Kiley works at Elens Maichin Roofing & Sheet Metal Inc. in Joliet, and she was on her way back to work at the time she encountered the semi-trailer on fire.

Traffic along the eastbound stretch of I-80 in Joliet was backed up all the way to Interstate 55 on Friday afternoon because a semi-truck carrying aerosol cans caught fire around 11:15 a.m.

Nobody was injured during the blaze which could be seen for several miles.

"I went and got the chicken chunks and as soon as I got on I-80 we were stopped," she told The River's Nick Jakusz.

The Wilmington resident told the FM radio station host that she realized the longer she stayed stuck in I-80 traffic, she wouldn't make it back to her office, and the chicken chunks would go bad.

"So I was like I might as well go ask these people if they're hungry, they have to be, because I know I'm starting," she told The River. "So, I just got out of my car and was knocking on peoples' windows."

As for the horrific semitrailer fire, the incident happened east of the I-80 bridge over the Des Plaines River, not far from the Chicago Street exit, and halted traffic in both directions. Joliet's Fire Department sent engines from Stations 1, 5 and 6.

Joliet Fire Chief Greg Blaskey said the semi-trailer contained aerosol cans, which were exploding, with some landing on houses on River Street, which is below the I-80 bridge span.

No homes were damaged, and additional fire crews checked homes in the impacted area, the chief said.

"Due to the concern of the exploding cans, all lanes of I-80 in both directions were shut down," Blaskey said, adding that Joliet received assistance with tanker trucks from surrounding communities, including East Joliet and Manhattan.

Eastbound I-80 traffic was being detoured to Route 6 in Rockdale, and it was backed up for several miles by 2 p.m.

Finally, by Friday's dinner time, I-80 traffic was moving again in both directions, according to Joliet Fire Department officials.

Check back with Patch for updates on this developing story.