A tanker truck exploded on Interstate 15 in Lake Elsinore, California, on Tuesday, shutting down the highway for nearly 15 miles.

The incident occurred around 1:07 p.m., on the southbound lanes of I-15. The truck was hauling 8,700 gallons of gasoline.

The driver of the truck left the vehicle after noticing a fire underneath the truck. Shortly after pulling over, the fire spread to the tanker trailer, leading to the massive explosion.

The truck burned for nearly two hours, creating a huge cloud of smoke which could be seen from miles away.

Twitter user @kaitlindiaries captured this first-hand view of the blaze.

The highway was closed in both directions for 15 miles. As of midnight, all northbound lanes were reopened, however two out of three southbound lanes remained closed.

California DOT says road repairs will last until early Wednesday morning and has warned commuters to expect delays.