Truck Driver Dead After Tanker Rolled Off Bridge and 'Burst into Flames' on Highway
The tanker was carrying 7,500 gallons of diesel when it crashed, an Ohio EPA spokesperson told CNN
Getty
A truck driver died on Saturday morning after their truck rolled off of an Ohio bridge and exploded.
The driver was attempting to merge onto Interstate 271 heading north when their tanker truck “lost control" and went over the side of the bridge, according to a news release from the Summit County Sheriff's Office.
After rolling off of the bridge, the tanker landed back on the road below, State Route 8, and “burst into flames,” per the release.
The driver died from injuries sustained in the wreck.
Related: Missing Cyclist Found Dead After Falling from Cliff in Italy: 'I Am Just So Broken,' Brother Says
Police responded to the scene of the tanker explosion around 9:15 a.m. on Saturday, and the ramp connecting State Route 8 to the interstate was subsequently closed off in both directions, officials said.
A hazmat team and several fire departments also responded to the scene of the crash, which is being investigated by the Summit Metro Crash Team, per the release.
After both the road and bridge were inspected for safety, the ramp and surrounding area reopened on Sunday morning, local outlet WJW reported in an article shared by the sheriff's office.
However, the portion of the road where the truck landed and caught fire “will need to be repaved,” Ohio Department of Transportation spokesperson Matt Bruning told CNN in a statement on Saturday.
And while the department does not have a timeline for repaving, Bruning said it would not “reopen anything until we deem it safe to motorists.”
Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up to date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.
The tanker was carrying 7,500 gallons of diesel when it crashed, Ohio Environmental Protection Agency spokesperson Bryant Somerville told CNN.
Officials also said some of the diesel from the truck leaked into a nearby creek and waterfall, Brandywine Falls, causing the creek to catch on fire, the outlet reported.
“The nearby Brandywine Creek has been impacted with diesel from the crash,” Somerville told CNN in a statement, adding that the creek “briefly caught fire initially after the accident,” but is now out.
The agency is taking measures to contain the diesel and prevent spreading, he added.
For more People news, make sure to sign up for our newsletter!
Read the original article on People.
