Evening rush on Interstate 85 in Rowan County turned tragic Tuesday when a fiery collision between two tractor-trailers near the Peach Orchard Road exit killed one driver and triggered a hazardous-materials response that choked traffic for hours. Both rigs went up in flames just before 6 p.m., and crews worked well into the night to secure the scene as local roads filled with frustrated commuters.
The North Carolina State Highway Patrol said the wreck happened around 5:45 p.m. when a stopped tractor-trailer was hit from behind by a second rig, igniting both trucks and causing one to leak hazardous material, according to WCNC. Troopers quickly sealed off the area while fire and hazmat teams launched an on-scene cleanup. Officials did not immediately release the name of the driver who died.
Later, footage and troopers identified the person killed as 74-year-old Wesley James Adams of McDonough, Georgia. Video from the scene shows crews dumping a neutralizing substance from large bags over the spill before lanes could safely reopen, a reminder that the firefight was only half the battle. "Anytime you have a CMV collision on the interstate, it's always hard to deal," Trooper Whit Efrid told WSOC.
Hazmat Cleanup And Local Costs
Hazardous-materials responses often come with serious price tags: specialized agents, heavy equipment and extended manpower that can stretch county budgets. Rowan County has already been trying to get ahead of that issue. Last year, commissioners adopted an ordinance that allows emergency management to seek reimbursement for hazmat cleanup costs from responsible parties or their insurers, as reported by the Salisbury Post.
Traffic Impacts And Reopening
The N.C. Department of Transportation said three of four lanes at Exit 72 (Peach Orchard Road) were shut down, leaving traffic to squeeze through a single open lane in a slow crawl. Crews expected the highway to reopen fully by midnight, according to WCNC. Drivers were urged to bail out onto local surface streets and brace for delays while the cleanup continued.
Troopers with the State Highway Patrol are still investigating what led to the rear-end impact and the deadly chain of events that followed. Officials asked anyone with information to contact the patrol's Salisbury detachment and said updates will be released as the investigation moves forward, WSOC reported.
