FUEL TANKER TRUCK CRASH IN I-94 WEST IN DETROIT, MICHIGAN SPILLS 1,000-GALLONS OF DIESEL. SPEED MAY HAVE BEEN A FACTOR IN THE CRASH.
Crews continue working to clear diesel fuel from westbound
I-94 west of Detroit in Allen Park after a tanker spilled roughly 1,000 gallons
at about midnight.
The segment of interstate is expected to reopen by
midafternoon; meanwhile, the Michigan Department of Transportation advises
detours.
Icy rain this morning complicated efforts to clear the
affected area, and salt trucks were brought in to clear the ice before more
absorbent material was dropped on the area.
"It really has been quite the mess," said MDOT
spokeswoman Diane Cross.
Hazmat crews are working to absorb the fuel spilled from a
truck crash over about 1 1/2 miles along the interstate between Oakwood and the
Southfield Freeway (M-39) interchange. The tanker was hauling 11,000 gallons of
fuel when it crashed at about midnight, according to Michigan State Police. No
injuries were reported.
The ramp from southbound Southfield to westbound I-94 has
been reopened to accommodate detours, said Diane Cross, spokeswoman for the
Michigan Department of Transportation. Westbound travelers are advised to exit
at Michigan Avenue and take it to the Southfield Freeway.
Eastbound traffic is not affected by the closure.
Clean-up has been under way since about 1 a.m., and the fuel
has spread over the freeway, shoulder and the ground.
The cause of the crash hasn't yet been determined, but State
Police spokesman Lt. Mike Shaw said speed is suspected to have been a factor.
Emergency responders arrived at the scene at about 12:15 a.m., finding the
tanker on its side. No other vehicles were involved.
Sleet and freezing rain made commutes across metro Detroit
more tricky than normal this morning. Light snow or rain returns at about noon,
said Dave Gurney, meteorologist with the National Weather Service.
Temperatures could reach the mid-30s today before dropping
back to the mid teens tonight. Friday's high is to be about 18 to 20 degrees,
he said.