On Tuesday morning (17), a truck loaded with cotton overturned on the Cônego Domênico Rangoni highway, while another truck carrying cellulose caught fire on the Anchieta highway. Both incidents occurred in the Baixada Santista region, leading to the closure of the affected highways. According to Ecovias, the concessionaire managing these routes, there were no reported injuries resulting from either accident, although traffic on the Sistema Anchieta-Imigrantes experienced significant delays due to the incidents.

The overturned truck collided with a concrete barrier and subsequently spilled its cotton load onto the road, which then ignited. Footage from the scene shows the fire spreading as responders rushed to mitigate the situation. Approximately ten minutes later, another truck involved in an accident on the Anchieta highway caught fire near kilometer 53, close to Cubatão, while transporting 47 tons of cellulose. The fire posed a serious risk but fortunately did not result in any injuries.

The accidents underscore the ongoing challenges faced by heavy vehicle transportation on Brazilian highways, particularly in coastal areas prone to traffic congestion. Authorities are reminding drivers to remain cautious in these zones, especially in adverse weather conditions or when transporting heavy loads to minimize the risk of similar incidents in the future.