CRAWFORDSVILLE, Indiana — Two separate crashes on Interstate 74 near Crawfordsville on Friday morning, October 23 — one involving a fuel-loaded semi-truck that rolled over and caught fire, and a second multi-vehicle crash involving a semi — caused significant traffic slowdowns as traffic was diverted onto State Road 32, Crawfordsville Radio (WCDQ) reported, citing Indiana State Police and the Crawfordsville Fire Department.
In the first crash, a semi-truck loaded with fuel was travelling westbound on I-74 near the 38 mile marker when, for reasons still under investigation, it left the north side of the roadway and rolled over, Sgt. Jeremy Piers of the Indiana State Police Lafayette Post 14 said in a statement reported by WCDQ. The semi subsequently caught fire.
Source: WCDQ — Multiple accidents on I-74 cause significant slowdowns (ISP statement)
The Crawfordsville Fire Department said firefighters were dispatched to the first crash at 8:45 a.m. to extinguish the flames, identify leaks and establish safety zones, and law enforcement arrived at approximately 9:00 a.m., according to the ISP statement. The driver of the semi, who remains unidentified, was transported to a local hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.
Source: WCDQ (Crawfordsville Fire Department statement; ISP statement)
Firefighters were then dispatched at 9:18 a.m. to a second accident on eastbound I-74 involving passenger cars and a semi-truck, while HazMat personnel worked the first scene, the fire department said. Some people from the second accident were transported to local hospitals, while others refused treatment.
Both crashes remain under investigation, WCDQ reported. The two incidents caused significant slowdowns in downtown Crawfordsville as traffic was diverted onto State Road 32.