State police report a three-vehicle accident on Interstate 84 during the morning rush on Wednesday, July 12, that closed two of three lanes on the westbound side of the highway, snarling traffic and causing travel backups that extended for several miles.

At about 7:48 am, about 200 yards east of Exit 10, the male driver of a large 2012 Freightliner box truck, which was traveling in the right lane of three lanes, entered the center lane, but in doing so sideswiped a compact 1989 Honda Civic auto driven by a male motorist, state police said.

The Freightliner then continued traveling in the center lane until it drove into the rear end of a 2006 Oshkosh concrete-mixer truck that was full of concrete, weighing 77,000 pounds, officials said. The male driver of the concrete truck reported back pain, but declined medical attention, officials said.

Due to the accident, an external fuel tank on the Freightliner ignited, but was quickly extinguished by people on the scene. Newtown Hook & Ladder and Sandy Hook firefighters went to the accident.

On arriving, firefighters encountered a large volume of antifreeze and hydraulic fluid that had spilled from the trucks, after which they placed absorbent materials on the fluids to isolate them. Wreckage also was strewn across the highway.

A heavy wrecker service later towed away the three vehicles, after which the full width of the highway reopened to traffic.

During the backups, westbound motorists had exited the highway, seeking alternate routes to avoid the travel delays.

State police issued the Freightliner's driver an infraction for making an unsafe lane change.