Metro police are asking for help in identifying the victim of a fiery fatal crash that shut down a portion of Interstate 65 in Nashville for several hours on Monday night.

The Lexus SUV driver, believed to be a woman, died in a 6:50 p.m. multi-vehicle crash on I-65 south near Briley Parkway and mile marker 91. The driver was burned beyond recognition, according to police.

The heat from the fire melted the license and VIN plates on the Lexus, rendering them unreadable, police said, and based on vehicle parts found at the scene, the Lexus is believed to have been white.

A preliminary investigation shows the Lexus, for reasons unknown, stopped in the second from the left lane of I-65 south and was struck by a Nissan Maxima that wound up in a ditch to the right of the interstate.

The Lexus remained in a travel lane and was hit a short time later by a tractor-trailer, police said. The driver of the truck said he attempted to avoid striking the Lexus by swerving to the left but was unable to avoid the collision, which sent the SUV spinning down the interstate before it came to rest and caught fire.

The tractor-trailer then went across all lanes of travel, clipped another tractor-trailer rig and came to rest blocking all lanes.

No other major injuries were reported.

Anyone with information as to the potential identity of the victim is asked to contact the Emergency Communications Center at 615-862-8600.

Reach Natalie Neysa Alund at nalund@tennessean.com and follow her on Twitter @nataliealund.