2 Tractor Trailers in I-79 Truck Crash Involving Chemical Spill

April 13, 2011 - Morgantown, W.Va. - An accident involving two tractor trailers closed down parts of Interstate 79. At this time, it has not been revealed whether there were any injuries in the I-79 truck crash.

WBOY reports that the accident occurred shortly after 3:30 p.m. Tuesday close to mile marker 148 and the I-79/I-68 split. Two tractor trailers were involved in the I-79 truck crash, but no further details concerning how the crash occurred are available at this time.

Emergency crews on the scene worked to clean up a chemical spell, which has been identified as zinc oxide. According to officials, the accident does not pose an immediate public health risk.

Whether or not anyone was injured is unclear, though there were EMS crews on the scene.

I-79 was closed in both directions immediately following the accident. All northbound lanes and one of the southbound lanes have since been reopened.

Officials from the Clinton District Volunteer Fire Department, the Triune-Halleck Volunteer Fire Department, Monongalia County EMS, the Morgantown City Fire Department Hazmat team, Monongalia County Emergency Management, and the State Police were on the scene in response to the accident.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's 2009 West Virginia Crash Statistics show that there were 356 fatalities as a result of car accidents in West Virginia.

In an effort to raise awareness of common factors in serious and fatal car accidents in West Virginia, our firm routinely publishes news items about traffic crashes in our region.

Common West Virginia accidents include, but are not limited to:

• single-car crashes;
• tractor-trailer accidents;
• accidents caused by hazardous road conditions; and
• distracted driver crashes.

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