south metro

A vehicle fire gummed up traffic on Interstate 494 near France Avenue for about three hours late Monday afternoon.

The trailer of a semi began burning in the westbound lanes just east of France just before 2:30 p.m., according to the Minnesota Department of Transportation.

Traffic came to a stop as black smoke billowed from the trailer. Vehicles began to move more freely as crews extinguished the fire and cleaned up. 

The scene was cleared just before 5:30 p.m.