Janice R. Andrews
The truck driver was killed in a terrible Saturday morning fire truck mishap on SR-8 south in Northfield Centre Township, forcing the closure of a section of the highway. According to the Summit County Sheriff’s Department, the truck was heading north on SR-8 when it attempted to merge onto I-271 North, which is when the collision happened at approximately 9:15 a.m.
Bill Holland of the Summit County Sheriff’s Department said that the vehicle veered off course while attempting to make the merge, crossing the bridge and ending up on State Route 8. The effect of the impact was that the tanker caught fire.
Closures in the impacted region resulted from the tanker landing on the southbound lane of SR-8, as confirmed by the Ohio Department of Transportation. The Ohio Department of Transportation’s investigation will not be concluded until RT 8 SB, on-ramps, and exit overpasses to and from I-271 are closed, the Macedonia Fire Department advised motorists to stay away from the area.
On Saturday night, more than sixty firefighters from different departments arrived on the site with speed. Thankfully, no other casualties have been reported, and the truck driver’s identity has not been made public.
The Ohio EPA also issued a statement discussing the crash’s environmental effects. 7,500 gallons of diesel gasoline from the semi-tanker leaked into Brandywine Creek, which momentarily caught fire. The coordinator of the Ohio EPA’s on-scene operations verified that the fire has been put out and that attempts are being made to contain the diesel spill.
Macedonia Mayor Nick Molnar highlighted the cooperative efforts of several teams in Summit County and the EPA to clean up. In order to stop more debris from spreading into the stream, the EPA is aggressively putting in containment measures and managing abatement efforts.
After the required safety precautions were taken, a section of SR-8 south has reopened as of Sunday morning. It is recommended that commuters remain updated about any updates and use caution when in the area. The issue is still being looked into.
