Driver killed when tanker crashes on northeastern Ohio highway

The driver of a tanker truck was killed early Saturday after a fiery crash on a northeastern Ohio highway, authorities said.

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According to a news release from the Summit County Sheriff’s Office, deputies and officers with the Macedonia Police Department responded to a crash on a northbound ramp of Interstate 271 in Northfield Center Township at about 9:15 a.m. EST.

Deputies said the tanker was traveling north on Route 8 and was attempting to enter the interstate when the driver of the vehicle lost control, the Akron Beacon Journal reported. At the junction of Route 8 and I-271 northbound, Route 8 continues into two right-hand lanes while the interstate splits off into a ramp to the left, according to the newspaper.

The tanker went over the side of the bridge and exploded after landing on Route 8, WKYC-TV reported. According to the sheriff’s office, the driver of the tanker died from their injuries, the Beacon Journal reported.

Officials with the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency said that the tanker was carrying approximately 7,500 of diesel fuel, WJW-TV reported.

“The nearby Brandywine Creek has been impacted with diesel from the crash. The creek briefly caught fire initially after the accident and Ohio EPA’s on-scene coordinator is reporting the fire is out,” the EPA said in a statement. “Ohio EPA is installing containment in the creek to stop the spread of the material and overseeing abatement efforts.”

An investigation is ongoing and is being handled by the Summit Metro Crash Team, according to the sheriff’s office.

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