SUV Rollover Fire Halts Traffic

FRAMINGHAM — A SUV rollover on the Massachusetts Turnpike yesterday afternoon resulted in a car fire, bringing rush-hour traffic to a near halt.

At 4:30 p.m., Kimberly Lawler, 43, of Grafton, flipped her Mazda SUV while driving westbound in the right lane. The accident occurred about a mile after Exit 13, according to authorities.

The Framingham Fire Department extinguished the flames as Emergency Medical Services responded. Lawler suffered minor injuries but declined medical treatment and ambulance service, saying she would go to the hospital later, according to Deputy Fire Chief Steve Stone.

No other vehicles were involved in the accident, said State Police Lt. Sharon Costin. Traffic crept by in the left lane, said Costin, until all lanes were opened at 5:15 p.m. The cause of the accident is still under investigation. “Solar glare may have been a factor,” Costin said.