Friday, February 20, 2015

EXTRAORDINARY CRASH CAUSES FUEL OIL SPILL AND 8-MILE BACKUP ON I-95 NORTHBOUND IN JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA








FEBRUARY 18, 2015



JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA




A chain-reaction crash closes southbound and northbound lanes on Interstate 95 near the Emerson exit early Wednesday morning.




The Florida Highway Patrol responded to the crash around 1:40 a.m. 



FHP said there were no major injuries associated with the crash which closed all but one southbound and northbound lane. The southbound lanes opened at 4:30 a.m. However, the northbound lanes are expected to remain closed through 8 a.m. 




Action News traffic reporter Derrick Odom said take US-1 NB as alternate route as it caused an 8-mile backup during the morning commute. 




The crash was caused when a yellow box truck traveling north hit a Mercury Grand Marquis that was disabled on the left shoulder. FHP said the truck then hit the concrete barrier wall and knocked down two light poles.

One light pole fell onto the northbound lanes and the other onto the southbound lanes. 




A car traveling south tried to avoid the light pole and was hit by a tractor-trailer, said FHP.




FHP said a tractor-trailer ran over the light pole in the northbound lanes, which punctured the fuel tanks. Two other vehicles hit the light pole in the southbound lanes. 




The Department of Environmental Protection arrived to the scene too as there was a potential hazmat situation as diesel fuel spilled on the road. The northbound lanes are expected to remain closed as the Florida Department of Transportation crews cleaned up the fuel.