Southbound drivers on I-71 near Lebanon spent early Wednesday inching along at a crawl after a string of overnight crashes turned the highway into a parking lot for hours. The trouble started around 1:30 a.m., when a chain of wrecks brought traffic to a near-standstill while emergency crews tackled mangled vehicles and leaking fuel.
According to WLWT, the first crash involved a sedan and a semi just past the Ohio 48 exit at about 1:30 a.m. Two people from the car were taken to a hospital, and diesel fuel began leaking from the semi. As officials told WLWT, crews worked to contain the spill and haul away the disabled vehicles while southbound traffic stacked up for miles behind the scene.
Crash Sequence and Response
State troopers said all southbound lanes had to be shut down for hours while first responders worked the main crash site. In the middle of that response, a semi clipped a fire truck that was blocking the roadway, authorities reported. As FOX19 noted, no injuries were reported from that secondary collision, but the hit added yet another obstacle to reopening the interstate and forced more coordination between troopers and local fire crews already stretched thin.
Ramp Wrecks and Fuel Leaks
The Warren County Sheriff's Office told WLWT that the chaos was not limited to the mainline. A separate crash on the southbound ramp from State Route 48 involved multiple semis, one of which also leaked oil and needed a tow to get off the ramp. Officials called in specialized crews to clean up the slick and remove the disabled tractor-trailer, sending traffic onto local roads while the ramp remained blocked.
Cleanup and Detours
By mid-morning, ODOT had managed to reopen the left lane, finally letting southbound drivers roll past the wreckage, albeit very slowly. Backups were still extensive, and motorists were urged to find alternate routes if they could. As reported by FOX19, traffic was being routed off I-71 at Ohio 123, with suggested detours using SR-48 and SR-42 to skirt the worst of the jam.
The Ohio State Highway Patrol is investigating the crashes, and officials cautioned that lingering cleanup work could keep delays in place through the late morning. Drivers headed through the Lebanon stretch of I-71 were advised to check traffic apps, expect slowdowns, and pad their commute times accordingly.
