Tanker Falls Off I-75 Overpass into Home, Driver Dies

By Diane Smith
19:44, January 10th 2008
70 votes
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A tanker reportedly crashed into a guardrail on an overpass on Thursday and plunged about 30 or 40 feet to the ground where it exploded. The cabin of the large vehicle got stuck on the barrier as the impact took place and the driver died instantly. Fortunately, that was the only death caused by the terrible accident. The persons living in the house next to which the tanker fell to the ground and exploded are safe.

The driver of the vehicle was identified as Robert Martinez and according to fire spokeswoman Katrina Butler he was carrying liquid propane.

What caused the crash is still unknown. Police is still investigating whether Martinez lost control of the tanker or something else happened.

The incident took place on Interstate 75 and fell of an overpass in southwest Detroit. As the large vehicle hit the ground it caught fire and the house near the impact as well.

According to Michigan State Police Lt. Monica Yesh, all the witnesses questioned said that the truck didn’t swerved

"There are no skid marks, which usually indicates a medical emergency somewhere along the line," said Yesh.

The driver's corpse was found in the cab which got stock in the freeway barrier, which prevented it from falling over the edge.

The house near the accident caught fire at about 8 a.m. according to the sayings of a woman who said she lived in the dwelling.

"When I was laying down, the flame came through my window," Latosha Davis told WDIV-TV. All those who were in the house at that moment were able to get out safely, before the fire swallowed up the building, a process which took about 20 minutes.

Interstate 75 was closed on both directions in the area of the incident.



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Tags: tanker, crash, I75
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