MACEDONIA, Ohio — A tanker truck driver is dead after their rig exploded during a crash on Saturday, Jan. 27, in Summit County, Ohio.
According to a news release from the Summit County Sheriff’s Office, the driver was traveling northbound on State Route 8 attempting to merge onto Interstate 271 when they lost control and crashed through the side of the bridge.
The truck landed on the northbound lanes of State Route 8 and burst into flames, the news release noted.
“It was determined the driver of the tanker truck died from injuries sustained in the crash,” according to the news release.
The ramp from State Route 8 to I-271 north is currently closed, and State Route 8 is currently closed in both directions. It will remain closed until the bridge can be inspected for safety, authorities said.
The truck was carrying 7,500 gallons of diesel fuel, much of which spilled, causing a large environmental issue.
As part of the cleanup effort, response crews will excavate impacted soil, according to the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency. Officials will remain on the scene to make sure all appropriate steps are taken to ensure the health and safety of resident and waterways, the agency said in a written statement.
The crash is under investigation by the Summit Metro Crash Team. The truck driver’s identity was not given.
Born in Pine Bluff, Arkansas, and raised in East Texas, John Worthen returned to his home state to attend college in 1998 and decided to make his life in The Natural State. Worthen is a 20-year veteran of the journalism industry and has covered just about every topic there is. He has a passion for writing and telling stories. He has worked as a beat reporter and bureau chief for a statewide newspaper and as managing editor of a regional newspaper in Arkansas. Additionally, Worthen has been a prolific freelance journalist for two decades, and has been published in several travel magazines and on travel websites.
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