West Virginia Turnpike re-opens after semi overturns
Crash had closed northbound for more than 17 hours
UPDATE 9/29/23 @ 2:15 a.m.
FAYETTE COUNTY, W.Va. (WSAZ) - All lanes of the West Virginia Turnpike re-opened early Friday morning, more than 17 hours after a semi carrying ammonium nitrate crashed and overturned.
The crash happened around 7 Thursday morning near the Mossy exit in Fayette County. That’s at mile-marker 62.
The southbound lanes reopened a little after 9:30 a.m. but the northbound lanes were closed all day.
Despite the damage involving the semi, which was hauling ammonium nitrate, the driver suffered only minor injuries.
UPDATE 9/29/23 @ 12:05 a.m.
FAYETTE COUNTY, W.Va. (WSAZ) - The northbound lanes of the West Virginia Turnpike were originally expected to open around 9 p.m. Thursday after a tractor-trailer rollover crash in Fayette County that halted traffic for several hours, the West Virginia Department of Transportation reported.
However, just after midnight Friday, the West Virginia Parkways Authority reported those lanes had not reopened yet. A dispatcher there said they were expected to reopen in the next hour or two.
The accident happened around 7 a.m. Thursday near the Mossy exit in Fayette County. That’s at mile-marker 62.
The southbound lanes reopened a little after 9:30 a.m. but the northbound lanes were closed all day.
Despite the damage involving the semi, which was hauling ammonium nitrate, the driver suffered only minor injuries.
According to the WVDOT, clean-up work will continue into Friday, but the lanes will remain open during that cleanup.
Keep checking the WSAZ app for the latest.
ORIGINAL STORY
FAYETTE COUNTY, W.Va. (WSAZ) - The southbound lanes of the West Virginia Turnpike have reopened following a rollover crash involving a tractor-trailer hauling ammonium nitrate, the West Virginia Turnpike Authority confirms on Thursday morning.
According to emergency dispatchers, northbound lanes of I-77 are still closed between Mossy and Paint Creek.
Northbound lanes could be closed for several hours, officials say.
A detour has been set up for travelers as emergency responders clean the scene.
Turnpike Detour A will be in effect until the Turnpike reopens. Traffic heading north will take the North Beckley Exit (Exit 48) to US 19, then take US 19 to Interstate 79 near Sutton. Drivers can then take I-79 to Charleston. The detour is approximately 125 miles.
A hazmat team is on scene, but Jeff Miller, executive director of the West Virginia Parkways Authority, said the chemical did not get into nearby streams.
The West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection (WVDEP) and several other state and local agencies are responding to a tractor trailer crash.
According to the WVDEP, the truck was hauling approximately 4,500 gallons of an ammonium nitrate and water solution.
Ammonium nitrate is predominantly used in agriculture as a fertilizer.
The material has been contained to a ditch line and emergency crews are digging additional containment measures to capture the product and prevent further migration.
An environmental contractor, Evergreen Environmental, is currently on site to remediate the area and an additional contractor is en route to the scene to pump the remaining product from the tractor trailer.
According to officials, the driver of the tractor-trailer only suffered minor injuries.
Keep checking the WSAZ app for the latest.
FAYETTE COUNTY, W.Va. (WSAZ) - A tractor trailer crash at mile marker 62 has the West Virginia Turnpike shutdown in Fayette County near the Kanawha County line.
According to emergency dispatchers, both north and southbound lanes of I-77 are closed between Mossy and Paint Creek.
Traffic is being diverted from the Beckley exit to the Chelyan interchange until further notice due to a HAZMAT situation.
No word yet on whether anyone is injured.
The accident happened around 7 a.m. Thursday.
Keep checking the WSAZ app for the latest.
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