By NEAL WAGNER / City Editor

Police and Alabama Department of Transportation crews were forced to close the northbound lanes of Interstate 65 between Calera and Alabaster Jan. 12 after two commercial vehicles collided.

The wreck happened at about 5:55 a.m. near the 236 mile marker in Alabaster, which is between the Shelby County Airport exit and the Colonial Promenade exit.

According to Alabama State Trooper office, the wreck happened when a commercial vehicle traveling north on I-65 collided with a commercial truck parked on the right shoulder of the interstate. According to state troopers, the truck parked on the shoulder of the interstate had experienced a blown tire.

ALDOT crews, state troopers and police were forced to close the north- and southbound lanes of I-65 while traffic was diverted to U.S. 31. ALDOT employees directed traffic at major intersections along U.S. 31 to handle the increased traffic load.

Crews reopened all lanes of I-65 at about 10:30 a.m.

At least one vehicle involved in the wreck caught fire. State troopers are still investigating the cause of the accident.