A TANKER BELIEVED TO BE CARRYING GASOLINE CRASHED AND BURNED on Interstate 75 just north of Detroit, Michigan, Wednesday night. The truck collided with two other vehicles and the crashed, as bad luck would have it, directly underneath a highway overpass.
WDIV-TV image
The resulting fire burned for hours and led to the complete collapse of the overpass roadway which was only about one year old. Three people received minor injuries and those are believed to be the only casualties of the event.
WDIV-TV reports on the collision:
(The) tanker rolled over on the northbound lanes of the freeway shortly after 8 p.m. Police said a 27-year-old driver of a car lost control while driving about 70 miles per hour along a curve and collided with the tanker.
“This truck veered off to the right. It looks like it might have been cut off,” said witness Troy Hubbs. “Then there was this fireball. Then there was explosion after explosion after explosion.”
WXYZ-TV has some early raw video of the fire:
The Associated Press filed this video report last night:
This morning the fire crews from Hazel Park FD are remaining on the scene as pockets of fire remain in the debris. The structural members of the overpass are laying across the Interstate and are also covering the remains of the tanker.
Heavy cranes are being brought in to start lifting the beams and concrete off of the roadway.
WOOD-TV Ch. 8 had this updated video report this morning:
