EUREKA, Mo. — A semi crashed just before 5 a.m. Saturday resulted in an hours-long closure of Interstate 44 eastbound at Lewis Road in Eureka.
According to Eureka Fire Department Assistant Chief Scott Barthelmass and Deputy Fire Chief William Stamberger, a semi-truck hauling a type of solvent overturned on Interstate 44 causing barrels of the solvent to break open and spill on the interstate.
Stamberger said the substance was flammable, resulting in a complete closure of Interstate 44 eastbound while crews manage the spill.
Barthelmass said no one was injured in the crash, and there was no risk of fire from the substance as of 7:40 Saturday morning. He said crews were waiting for hazmat teams to show up, so the roadway could be cleaned and reopened.
Previous alerts from MoDOT had said the closure would last until 10 a.m., then 1 p.m. Saturday. By 1 p.m., the latest alert said the eastbound lanes would be closed until 3 p.m. Saturday.
By 2:15 p.m., the spill had been cleared from the roadway and the highway reopened.
The leftmost lane of I-44 westbound was also closed to handle the cleanup.
I-44 eastbound traffic was routed off the interstate at Lewis Road to pass the crash site and spilled substance.
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