Body found outside burned tanker after fiery crash
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Fiery accident on I-581
Oil tanker runs into embankment on 581 and brusts into flames, shutting down the interstate indefinitely.
10 On Your Side viewer Scott Ware of Roanoke
Fire crews battle massive flames early Sunday morning after an oil tanker runs into embankment on 581 and catches fire, shutting down the interstate indefinitely. Roanoke Fire EMS says the fire was out at 1:06 a.m.
Published: July 13, 2008
Updated: July 17, 2008
Updated Sunday 1:26 p.m.
Roanoke City Police tell 10 On Your Side that the oil tanker was the only vehicle involved. The body was found outside of the truck.
Police are working to identify the body and find out what caused the crash.
All lanes of Interstate 581/ Route 220 are opened, although there is a large part of the concrete barrier missing between the Franklin Road and Elm Street exits in the northbound lanes.
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Updated Sunday 3:30 a.m.
One body has been removed from the crash scene. Roanoke police have not released the identity. There’s still no word yet on when Interstate 581 / Route 220 will reopen between the Wonju and Elm exits.
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Updated Sunday 1:32 a.m.
Jefferson Street Bridge is now open.
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Updated Sunday 1:19 a.m.
Roanoke Fire EMS says that the fire is out as of 1:06 a.m.
Interstate 581/Route 220 is still closed as is Jefferson Street Bridge. Crews hope to have it open again by the time people head to church.
There is still no word on the driver of the truck.
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Updated Sunday 12:46 a.m.V-DOT says all lanes are still closed. They are directing southbound traffic onto Elm Avenue and northbound onto the Wonju Exit.
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Updated Sunday 12:05 a.m.V-DOT says the accident is near the Wonju Street intersection in Roanoke. All lanes are closed.
Southbound traffic is being detoured onto Elm Avenue.
Northbound traffic is being detoured onto the Wonju Exit.
10 On Your Side photojournalist Jarrett Henshaw sent us this picture:
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Updated Saturday 11:47 p.m.Roanoke Fire EMS tells 10 On Your Side that the gasoline tanker was carrying 8,500 gallons of fuel.
Fire crews say it is not dangerous to breathe the air and there is no danger to the community, although there is a slight explosive risk.
Crews say they are going to let the fire burn out since it is gasoline.
There is still no information on the driver at this point.
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Updated Saturday 11:42 p.m.Roanoke City Police tell us all northbound lanes between Wonju and Elm are closed.
All southbound lanes between Elm and Franklin are also closed.
The accident happened just after 10:00 p.m. Saturday.
Police say the oil tanker was going north on 581 when it went over an embankment just before Franklin Road, that’s when it caught fire.
Police say they have not located the driver.
Police are not sure how many vehicles are involved.
They say 581 is shut down indefinitely.
A 10 On Your Side viewer sent us this cell phone picture:
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Many of you have been calling us about massive flames on Interstate 581 tonight (Saturday).
V-DOT tells us that I-581 is shut down, in both directions, at the Wonju Street exit.
This is because of a tractor trailer accident.
10 On Your Side’s Scott Leamon is headed to the scene and will have a report on WSLS at 11
Reader Reactions
I live in the area near where the oil tanker accident happened. I keep hoping that somehow, the driver got out alive, but it doesn’t look good. What a tragedy. I hope with all my heart that a Roanoke driver did not cause the tanker to lose control of their rig. Moving from another area, I was surprised that in a small town like Roanoke, there are a lot of agressive drivers. I voiced this observation to others, locals and transplants, and surprisingly, they all agreed, although no one really knows why. I am not saying this was caused by an agressive Roanoke driver, I’m expressing the hope that it was not. It could be the truck driver somehow, just lost control on his/her own. In any case, kudos to the Roanoke Emergency Services, Fire Department and of course, the Police Department. They had it all under control (keeping the community out of harms way) within minutes, it seems! They did a phenomenal job; I’m so proud of them all. Thank you all from a community resident!
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