An Oklahoma City accident semi-truck has left two people with minor injuries. The collision occurred on the westbound lanes of Interstate 40 and Interstate 44 and resulted in the highway being closed for nearly five hours. Oklahoma Highway Patrol officials reported that the semi-truck driver collided with the I-44 bridge at approximately 12:05 p.m. on Feb. 6.
The semi-truck was driving on I-40 when it collided with the bridge. Approximately 100 gallons of diesel fuel spilled onto the highway after the semi-truck’s tanks ruptured due to the impact. A hazardous materials crew was dispatched to the scene to clean it up, according to the fire department.
Officials redirected traffic to nearby exits as the cleanup continued to return the highway lanes to safe driving conditions. Westbound I-40 traffic redirected to eastbound I-44 was able to use the Northwest Expressway to pick up I-40 at a safer location. Those routed westbound onto I-44 were able to use State Highway 152 west to State Highway 4 to pick up I-40 again. It is unclear what originally caused the semi-truck to collide with the bridge, or whether the driver was under the influence of any substance. It is also unclear who the injured victims were or whether the trucking accident involved any other vehicles.
Truck accidents can cause catastrophic injuries due to their size and how difficult it can be for a truck driver to stop to avoid obstacles a short distance away. In the event that the truck driver was negligent, such as driving while impaired or sleep-deprived, a personal injury attorney can be of assistance to a victim by filing a lawsuit that would seek damages from the truck driver as well as the trucking company for medical expenses and other losses.