Different situation, but it is about shutting down the highway (not an interstate).
Local town had a 18 wheeler butane truck turn over and catch fire, about 2 am, a few months ago. Tank remained intact and didn't explode. Small town, so they called for help to evacuate the area. Shut the road down, woke people up, for blocks around, mandatory evacuation.
4 different fire depts, local LEO's, parish LEO's, La. State Police all on scene and up drives a La. Dept of Transportation idiot. First he is stopped at the road block and he starts raising he!! about the road being shut down. Told to talk to Incident Commander (local fire chief) and sent on into the area. He got up there and started raising he!!. Local fire chief was busy, so one of the State Troopers told him where to go. Informed him that he wasn't in charge and to get the he!! out of there or he would arrest him. DOT guy left.
After the scene was secured, they did let the people back into the area and started routing traffic a few blocks over, to get thru town.
