Truck fire blocks burner highway: traffic jams and damage in Tyrol!

Truck fire blocks burner highway: traffic jams and damage in Tyrol!

On May 19, 2025, there was a serious incident on the Tyrolean burner motorway when a truck loaded with sugar caught fire. According to reports from Kleine Zeitung was injured and received to a clinic in Innsbruck. The highway then had to be blocked in both directions, whereby the lock is expected to continue for several hours, especially towards Brenner.

The ASFINAG reported that the incident caused damage to the bridge railing. In addition, the truck has lost large amounts of diesel, which also complicated the Situation. All available resources are currently being used to recover the overturned trailer and clean the route.

traffic disruptions and diversions

The incident led to a long traffic jam that extended to the Inntal Autobahn (A12). First of all, the focus is on removing the traffic vehicles in order to release the direction of Kufstein for traffic as soon as possible. ASFINAG plans to set up a detour towards Brenner via the Völs-Kranebitte junction. The best evasive path is currently the Innsbrucker Westast.

The dense cloud of smoke that rose from the burning truck was visible from afar and caused additional confusion among road users. The situation is still being observed closely and the authorities work tirelessly to get the traffic going.

social and economic effects of truck

The incident on the Brenner motorway not only illuminates acute problems, but also long -term infrastructural challenges in Austria. According to vcoe.at has a road network of around 128,000 km, which includes 2,300 km of motorways and deeds. The maintenance costs for the street infrastructure amount to around 495 million euros annually, whereby trucks cause a significant share of wear and tear.

In the EU there is a continued discussion about the expansion of the permissible dimensions and maximum weights of trucks, which could affect traffic safety. A 40-ton truck, for example, causes the same wear as 60,000 cars. The external costs caused by trucks in Austria are estimated at around 4.2 billion euros per year, whereby income from taxes does not cover these costs.

With the aim of improving infrastructure finance, the introduction of a truck toll on low-ranking roads is discussed, which could generate additional funds. In order to achieve the climate goals in traffic, the proportion of rail freight transport must increase to 34-40% by 2040, but the approval of oversized trucks is opposed to this goal.

The events on the Brenner motorway not only symbolize an acute traffic problem, but also the complex challenges associated with freight traffic on the street.