Local news and business information • Based in Strasburg, Va.

Truck crash shuts down I-81 northbound in Shenandoah County

Staff

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Charred remains of a tractor-trailer on the shoulder of Interstate 81 after a fire, with emergency vehicles and personnel on scene managing the aftermath.
Emergency crews responded April 19, 2025, after a tractor-trailer caught fire following a crash on northbound Interstate 81 in Shenandoah County. The truck jackknifed and burned after a tire blowout, shutting down the highway for approximately two hours. Photos courtesy of Virginia State Police.

Edited by Dan McDermott

SHENANDOAH COUNTY, Va. — A tractor-trailer crash shut down northbound Interstate 81 for about two hours Saturday afternoon following a tire blowout and vehicle fire.

According to Virginia State Police, the crash occurred at 3:49 p.m. near the 272-mile marker when a northbound 2025 Peterbilt tractor-trailer suffered a tire failure, struck a guardrail, jackknifed, and caught fire.

The driver, Giorgi Khutsishvili, 42, of Lake Hopatcong, New Jersey, sustained serious but non-life-threatening injuries and was transported to Winchester Medical Center. Police said he was wearing a seatbelt at the time of the crash.

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VDOT assisted with traffic control and detours during the closure. The incident remains under investigation.

dan@route11news.com

A tractor-trailer engulfed in flames after jackknifing on Interstate 81 in Shenandoah County, Virginia. Smoke billows from the wreckage as fire crews respond.
Emergency crews responded April 19, 2025, after a tractor-trailer caught fire following a crash on northbound Interstate 81 in Shenandoah County. The truck jackknifed and burned after a tire blowout, shutting down the highway for approximately two hours. Photos courtesy of Virginia State Police.