Smoking trailer with 15 calves aboard slows I-77 traffic in Chester County

Traffic on southbound Interstate 77 has been slowed near mile marker 55 in southern Chester County after a truck and trailer carrying 15 calves was smoking in what initially emergency officials thought may be a vehicle fire.

A wheel hub that had burned out and becomes so hot it started to smoke turned out to be the culprit, said Eddie Murphy, director of Chester County Emergency Management.

Volunteer fire department crews helped as the truck and trailer with the 15 3-month-old calves aboard was moved off the highway.

“We sure didn’t want an issue where we had these young calves in the middle of the busy Interstate,” Murphy said.

This story was originally published August 7, 2015 at 8:56 AM with the headline "Smoking trailer with 15 calves aboard slows I-77 traffic in Chester County."