Interstate 271 began reopening Wednesday afternoon after a lengthy closure caused by the crash of a tanker truck carrying ethanol. The Ohio State Highway Patrol said the truck driver fell asleep at the wheel rolling the truck in Granger Township. The crash occurred around 4 a.m.
According to a release from the Medina post of the Ohio Highway Patrol, the driver was traveling northbound on I-271 when he fell asleep causing the truck to go off the road and jackknife. The tanker spilled approximately 4,000 gallons of ethanol mostly into the median.
The truck driver was taken to the hospital for evaluation after the crash with non-life-threatening injuries.
The spill closed the 10-mile stretch of I-271 between Interstate 71 in Medina County and Interstate 77 in Summit County for more than 10 hours. Despite the spill and highway closure, no evacuations were required for those living near the spill site.
The southbound lanes of I-271 were opened around 2:30 p.m. while one lane of northbound traffic was reopened soon thereafter. Crews remain on scene and drivers are asked to use caution.
Earlier in the day, the Granger Township Fire Department urged residents and drivers to have patience as crews worked on the spill.
“We appreciate the public’s patience as crews work diligently to secure the area and ensure the safety of everyone involved,” said Lt. Johnathon Tibbs in a release. “Our top priority is containing the spill, protecting the community, and reopening the roadway as soon as it is safe to do so.”