Wed, Sep 13th, 2023 - 10:19am
March 15, 2023 - 3:15pm | By Ty Schonert
(Update: 9:10 p.m) -- The North Dakota Highway Patrol (NDDOT) is releasing a report following the fatal crash on I-94 outside of Mapleton this afternoon.
The highway patrol says the incident happened at approximately 1:47 p.m and involved two semi trucks. The trucks were headed westbound, with one carrying a tanker trailer and the other towing a flatbed with a curtain side trailer. Authorities say the trailer pulling the flatbed approached the tanker and swerved left, rear ending the tanker in the process. The trucks came to a rest upright on the road, with the tanker being punctured and the truck pulling the flatbed catching on fire.
Authorities with the Mapleton and Casselton Fire Department immediately responded and extinguished the fire, but found the driver of the flatbed truck deceased inside the vehicle.
Due to the puncture of the tanker, approximately 6500-6700 gallons of ethylene glycol leaked from the tanker trailer into the north ditch along I-94. Authorities say ethylene glycol is not a hazard to the motoring public, and an environmental company is being dispatched at this time to remove and contain the spill. The Fargo Fire Department and the NDDOT were on scene to assist with the hazardous spill.
Traffic on I-94 heading westbound will remain closed until the vehicles involved are removed from the scene. Eastbound traffic was reopened approximately an hour after the initial crash.
The name of the deceased is expected to be released the evening of March 16th. The crash remains under investigation by the North Dakota Highway Patrol.
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(Update: 5:33 p.m) -- A fatality has been confirmed at a crash on I-94 between two semi trucks.
The information comes from the North Dakota Highway patrol, that says the trucks involved were carrying hazardous materials. They say the westbound lane will continue to be closed for several hours.
Stay with WDAY Radio as more details become available.
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(Update: 5:00 p.m) -- In a video obtained by WDAY Radio, several responding authorities were on the scene of a two-vehicle crash and fire on I-94 west of Mapleton.
A firetruck with hazmat capabilities, along with several responding state agencies, are seen ending the blaze and controlling traffic. The video also shows the two trucks in question, with one seen burned from the front of the cabin through to its trailer. The second truck, carrying a cylindrical tank with unknown contents, does not appear to have caught on fire.
The incident is still under investigation. Stay with WDAY Radio as more details become available.
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(Fargo, ND) -- A section between West Fargo and Casselton is closed following a reported two-vehicle collision.
Witnesses report black smoke long traffic backups on I-94. The accident is reported to have occurred slightly west of Mapleton, with vehicles at a standstill at this time. The North Dakota Department of Transportation has closed the road out of an abundance of caution at this time.
This is a developing story. Stay with WDAY Radio as more details become available.
