Associated Press
Copyright 2007 The Associated Press
EAST LYME, Conn. — A tanker truck hauling home heating oil crossed into oncoming traffic Friday, killing three people in a multi-vehicle wreck that forced the shutdown of a key Northeast highway, state police said.
Three other people were taken to hospitals following the wreck that involved the tanker, a tractor-trailer and four cars on southbound Interstate 95 in southwestern Connecticut, police said.
“It’s a significant accident,” said Lt. J. Paul Vance, a state police spokesman.
State police said witnesses told them the tanker was northbound when the driver lost control and drove through the guardrail, over the median and into southbound traffic.
The tanker jackknifed and landed on its side. Firefighters sprayed foam as a precaution in a fuel spill, and state environmental officials were sent to assess cleanup needed at the site.
The truck is owned by Northeast Carriers LLC, which had the highest possible rating, from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. A message seeking comment was left with the company.
The interstate is the main artery that connects New York, Providence and Boston in the region. The accident site also is near the state’s two large casinos, Mohegan Sun and Foxwoods Resort Casino.
All lanes in both directions remained closed Friday night and may not open until early Saturday, said Kevin Nursick, a spokesman for the state Transportation Department.
Authorities also shut a section of Interstate 395 and a portion of Route 1. State police urged drivers to avoid the area if possible.