SEE IT: Truck catches fire and explodes on Seattle highway, shuts down half of I-5

A truck carrying liquid oxygen tanks caught fire and exploded multiple times on an interstate running through Seattle on Thursday.

Miraculously, no one was even injured in the blaze. The driver escaped safely.

All of Interstate 5 was briefly closed Thursday afternoon, local NBC affiliate KING reported. The northbound lanes reopened about an hour after the fire, but the southbound lanes — where the truck caught fire — remained closed for multiple hours.

A mechanical failure in the truck’s undercarriage may have started the fire, investigators told KING. Such a fire would have spread from the flatbed to the tanks, creating the chaotic scene. However, an official cause has not been determined.

The disaster occurred near the exit for Seattle’s Mercer St., which takes travelers to the city’s famous Space Needle and Seattle Center.

“Expect LONG delays on southbound I-5 just north of Mercer Street,” Washington’s department of transportation said in a tweet. At the time, the express lanes were closed, but they reopened about 2½ hours after the fire broke out. The standard southbound lanes remained closed for at least four hours.

It took fire crews three hours to douse the flames, partially due to a lack of hydrant access, according to KING. Even after the fire was out, the interstate could not be opened.

“Tow crews are still working and bridge inspectors are on scene dealing with the vehicle that was on fire on southbound I-5 just north of Mercer St,” WSDOT said almost four hours after the fire started. “We still have a lot of clean up to do. We appreciate your patience.”