WEST WINDSOR A truck fire snarled traffic and forced closure of northbound Route 1 at Washington Road for 12 hours Sunday.
Police said Anthony Hall, 38, of Bound Brook was slowing to stop at the light at Route 1 and Washington Road at 5:55 a.m., when he lost control of the tractor-trailer truck he was driving and struck a utility pole.
The driver escaped unharmed and no one else was injured, but as Public Service Electric & Gas Co. workers tried to disconnect live wires touching the truck, flames engulfed the vehicle. The fire gutted the truck, according to police.
The vehicle owned by City Capitol Commerce of Irving, Texas, and leased to Grocery Haulers Inc. was empty at the time of the accident.
Southbound Route 1 reopened just after 7:30 a.m., but it took all day for crews from Verizon, AT&T, Qualcom, PSE&G and West Windsor’s Road Department to clear the scene.
Northbound Route 1 was re-opened just before 6 p.m.
Mr. Hall was issued summonses for careless driving and failure to maintain control of his vehicle.

