Lincoln Park ,MI : Driver Seriously injured after tanker crash on Thursday ,August 20th 2015

Downriver commuters and weekend travelers coming into Detroit will have to find alternative routes until early Monday following a spectacular tanker truck explosion before dawn Thursday that critically injured the driver and severely damaged a mile-long portion of northbound Interstate 75.

Michigan Department of Transportation officials estimate that 55,000 daily commuters would be affected, as road workers rush to rebuild a 110-foot portion of roadway, between Southfield Road and Outer Drive, that was burned by the 8,000 gallons of gas that seared the concrete nearly 3 inches deep.

The unidentified 53-year-old truck driver for Corrigan Oil Co. remained in critical condition Thursday night with severe burns. His tanker crashed southbound after the Outer Drive bridge. The tanker hopped the median. Michigan State Police are investigating.

MDOT suggested that motorists headed to Detroit use Interstate 94 from the Southfield Freeway, or take Fort Street, which runs parallel to I-75, to the freeway at Outer Drive.

Drivers will need to heed I-94 roadwork, however: Two left lanes will be closed from Oakwood to the Lodge Freeway from 7 a.m. Saturday until 9 p.m. Sunday; farther east, all east- and westbound lanes in Detroit will be closed from the Lodge Freeway to I-75 from 9 p.m. Friday until 5 a.m. Monday for bridge repairs at Woodward.

Spokeswoman Diane Cross said MDOT hopes to reopen the affected area at 5 a.m. Monday, but warned that it could take longer depending on how quickly it takes the concrete to set. State officials signed a $200,000 contract with Florence Cement Co. of Shelby Township to make the repairs.

“The concrete is severely damaged and all lanes need to be replaced on northbound I-75 at Outer Drive,” Cross said. “It was bad, but if this had occurred during rush-hour traffic, there’s no telling how many persons could have been injured,” she said. “There could have been 25 other vehicles around the tanker.”

A hazmat team was called to the scene to remove gasoline from the tanker and a pump house near Southfield Road.


Source:

NB I-75 to be closed until Monday after tanker crash`