Police say a fire halted traffic on northbound lanes off 355 in Montgomery County.

All northbound lanes of Rockville Pike were closed at Old Georgetown Road, MD 187. Flaming trash from the back of a waste disposal vehicle was dumped on the roadway there.

Fire officials responded to the scene shortly after 10:15 a.m. and extinguished the blaze. Firefighters said the truck's operator was traveling on the road when he noticed flames coming from the back of his vehicle. The driver then dumped the flaming load, right in the middle of the street.

The fire was out before 11 a.m., and extra equipment has been called in to clear the mess.

Traffic in the area is being rerouted, but the incident has caused major congestion.

By midday, traffic was moving past the scene again. However, continuing cleanup efforts was causing continued congestion.

Check back for more updates as they become available.