LORAIN COUNTY, Ohio — The Ohio Department of Transportation has released video of the two-vehicle incident that sent fireballs into the night sky in Lorain County on Wednesday evening.
Authorities say two commercial vehicles became engulfed in flames after a crash within the eastbound lanes of I-80 near Middle Ridge Road around 8:15 p.m.
“Troopers arrived on scene and located one commercial vehicle on the left shoulder and another on the right shoulder, both fully engulfed,” said Sgt. Ray Santiago of the Ohio State Highway Patrol. “Initial reports indicated that one of the commercial vehicles was hauling a resin solution, or glue, and the solution was accelerating the flames near an overpass.”
Authorities say a 34-year-old driver from California was behind the wheel of a semi that was transporting a load of hazardous material when his vehicle became disabled while partially in the roadway, according to new details released by the Highway Patrol shortly before noon Thursday. His vehicle was then struck by a semi driven by a 57-year-old Florida man, which truck then hit the concrete median wall.
As a result of the hazardous materials in the one semi, authorities say it "continued to explode for the next hour."
We streamed live video from the scene, which you can watch in the player below:
Nobody was hurt during the situation, but both the eastbound and westbound lanes of the Turnpike were temporarily closed along with the West Ridge overpass.
No charges have been issued at this time, and authorities say alcohol does not appear to be a contributing factor in the crash. Both drivers were also wearing their seat belts, according to the Highway Patrol.
The incident remains under investigation.
MORE HEADLINES:
- Cleveland firefighter charged with voluntary manslaughter in roommate's death faces judge, case sent to grand jury
- ODOT shares video of driver littering along I-480 in Cleveland: 'Our roadsides aren’t a dumpster'
- Ohio Department of Transportation announces 2022 construction schedule: Here's where you'll see orange barrels
- ODOT employee struck while working along I-480 East in Brooklyn
Editor's note: Video in the player above was originally published in an unrelated traffic story on April 21, 2022.