DAYTONA BEACH -- A fiery tractor-trailer crash on Interstate 95 in the early-morning hours Saturday blocked southbound traffic for most of the day, as crews worked into the night to repair road damage done by a hazardous material that leaked from the truck.
Nobody was seriously hurt in the accident, which happened about 2:10 a.m., according to the Florida Highway Patrol. Margaret Cantrell, 40, was driving a tractor-trailer south on I-95 between LPGA Boulevard and International Speedway Boulevard when a tire blowout caused the truck to lurch into the median and burst into flames, according to the Daytona Beach Fire Department.
Cantrell was taken to Halifax Health Medical Center with minor injuries, according to the FHP.
Hazardous materials seeping from a few 55-gallon drums on the truck initially delayed firefighting efforts, but Daytona Beach and Volusia County firefighters were able to put the fire out within about 20 minutes, according to Lt. Larry Stoney with the Daytona Beach Fire Department. The cleanup stretched into Saturday night, however, because of damage done to the roadway by whatever leaked from the truck.
Hazardous-material crews determined the fluids to be a "grease lube, a form of grease," said Stoney, who characterized it as a "small leak." Hazardous-material crews conducted air monitoring and ground sampling and said the chemicals were not damaging to the environment, according to Stoney.
The Florida Department of Transportation reported road damage indicative of battery acid and sulfuric acid, however, and had to repave about 150 feet of the inside lane. DOT spokesman Steve Olson said Transfield, a DOT contractor, hoped to have the work done Saturday night. A Transfield official told Olson that asphalt in the area was "all eaten up."
FHP closed I-95 southbound between State Road 40 and Interstate 4 for about 12 hours for the initial cleanup. FHP opened two lanes at 2:24 p.m., but then DOT had to close the middle lane again just after 5 p.m. when the repaving work began. The road remained partially closed into Saturday night.
Traffic was detoured onto Tomoka Farms Road, having varied impact on nearby businesses. Most businesses said the worst impact of the crash was employees forced to arrive several hours late.
"It's slowed business down a little bit for sure, but then they re-routed traffic right past us," said Paul Martin, salesman with Daytona Dodge Chrysler Jeep in the Daytona Auto Mall on Tomoka Farms Road.
Troy Lerdo, Internet sales director at nearby Gary Yeomans Ford Lincoln and Mazda, had a different opinion.
"The accident caused major delays in our area, and a big drop-off in traffic and business," Lerdo said.
Cantrell is a Georgia woman who drives for Transco Lines Inc., a Russellville, Ark.-based company. A Transco representative had no comment when reached by phone Saturday.
DOT will have to repair damage to the median and the shoulder in that area later in the week, Olson said. That work cannot be done right away because DOT is planning to start work in the exact same area tonight on the Dunn Avenue extension, a project that will build a new overpass over I-95.
Provided By: Will Hobson
The Daytona Beach News - Journal
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