All eastbound lanes of Interstate 40 in Fayette County, Tennessee, were shut down Tuesday morning after a crash involving big rigs left one overturned and spilled hazardous material across the roadway. Two drivers were hurt and taken to hospitals, though their conditions were not known at the time.
According to Action News 5, the crash happened just after 11:30 p.m. Monday. A separate account from WREG says the Tennessee Highway Patrol reported the crash to TDOT just after midnight near Hickory Withe — the two outlets differ on the exact timing. WREG also reports the wreck happened on I-40 between the Gallaway and Oakland exit and the Covington-Somerville exit, and that a diversion route was set up about 20 minutes after the crash was first reported.
Per FOX13 Memphis, emergency workers say three big rigs crashed around midnight, with one overturning and blocking the eastbound lanes while carrying the hazardous material that spilled onto the highway. FOX13 crews on the scene observed first responders clearing the hazardous material near mile marker 32. The Fayette County Emergency Management Agency said two of the injured drivers were taken to Memphis-area hospitals, per the agency.
Crews Working To Clear The Scene
The station's report notes that at least two people were injured in the crash, matching the number of drivers taken to area hospitals. The overturned big rig that carried the hazardous material has become the center of the cleanup effort, as crews worked to clear both the wreckage and the spilled material from the interstate.
Neither outlet has identified the specific hazardous material involved, and the cause of the crash has not been confirmed. Drivers heading east on I-40 through Fayette County should expect delays and plan for the posted diversion route until the roadway is fully reopened.
A Recurring Hazard On Tennessee Interstates
Crashes involving tractor-trailers and hazardous cargo have repeatedly disrupted traffic on I-40 across Tennessee. In April, a HAZMAT crew responded to a tractor-trailer crash near Knoxville, and a separate incident there saw more than 100 gallons of fuel spill after another tractor-trailer wreck, according to WATE. Just last October, a truck hauling 28,000 pounds of paper crashed and spilled its load on I-40 in Nashville, initially closing the interstate, per WSMV.
