Fiery truck-car crash closes Route 83 in Long Grove for three hours

Route 83 was closed for about three hours Friday morning because of a fiery crash between a semi-truck and an unattended vehicle at Aptakisic Road in Long Grove, officials said.

Lake County Sheriff's Sgt. Curtis Gregory said the semi struck the vehicle about 5 a.m., causing the car to catch fire.

No one was injured in the crash, Gregory said, and hazmat crews were not called to the scene.

The roadway was closed due to the amount of water fire crews used to put out the flames, he said. The water turned to ice and an Illinois Department of Transportation crew spread salt at the scene and reopened the roadway at 8:15 a.m., officials said.

Long Grove Fire Protection District officials said in a news release that the drivers of the car and semi were outside their vehicles when emergency crews arrived. Both drivers refused medical care.

The driver of the car had exited his vehicle after it became disabled in the northbound lanes of Route 83. It was struck from behind by the semi. The truck driver was in his cab and called 911 when he noticed fire coming from the engine compartment and he left the vehicle, the news release stated. The fire quickly spread to the car.

The car and cab of the truck were destroyed, the release stated.

The accident remains under investigation.