1 killed as car, tanker truck collide in Mountlake Terrace Washington

A deadly crash involving a car and tanker truck blocked all northbound lanes of Interstate 5 for hours overnight and Monday morning at Mountlake Terrace.The driver of the car, a 22-year-old Bremerton man, was killed in the collision.The accident took nearly nine hours to clear after the tanker truck, carrying about 7,000 pounds of liquid nitrogen, rolled over on top of the car.

The crash happened at about 11 p.m. Sunday, but wasn't cleared until about 8 a.m. Monday as crews worked to transfer the liquid nitrogen from the damaged tanker to another tanker.

Nitrogen is nontoxic, odorless, and colorless and it is not flammable. But under pressure, it can cause problems and that's what crews were careful to avoid.

After the nitrogen was transferred, crews used airbags to help lift the tanker off the car - where the driver was found dead. His name was not released, pending family notification.
The Washington State Patrol says the driver of the tanker truck does not appear to be at fault in the crash.

"He's been very cooperative," says Trooper Mark Francis. "It does not appear he was impaired by alcohol or drugs. Not injured, a 50-year-old out of Puyallup."He told investigators that the driver of the car passed him in the HOV lane, hit the center barrier on the highway then crossed all lanes of traffic back across the highway, where he plowed into his truck.