By Tiffany Williams –
PARISH, N.Y. — A tractor-trailer hauling frozen vegetables caught fire early Sunday on Interstate 81 southbound in the town of Parish, prompting a multi-agency emergency response and the closure of one lane of the highway.
According to State Police, troopers were dispatched at approximately 4:56 a.m. on Dec. 28, 2025, after reports of a tractor-trailer fire. A preliminary investigation determined that a 2016 Kenworth tractor towing a trailer loaded with frozen vegetables was traveling southbound when the operator heard a loud noise coming from the vehicle.
The operator, identified as Oussama Jaziri, a 40-year-old male from Canada, pulled over to the west shoulder to investigate and observed an axle on the trailer glowing red. Shortly thereafter, a fire ignited and the tractor became fully engulfed in flames.
No injuries were reported as a result of the incident.
One lane of Interstate 81 southbound remained closed to allow for cleanup and recovery operations.
State Police were assisted at the scene by the Oswego County Sheriff’s Office, Parish Volunteer Fire Company, Mexico Volunteer Fire Department, Central Square Fire Department, and Hastings Fire Department.