Crash with a Fire Involving a Box Truck and a Passenger Car on US 10 Overpass

**kellyhound** · #1 ● 04-27-2022, 10:10 AM

Minnesota State Patrol and firefighters from the Spring Lake Park, Blaine, Mounds View Fire Department in Minnesota responded about 2:30 p.m. Monday, April 11, 2022 to a report of a crash with a fire involving a box truck and a passenger car on the US 10 overpass over Highway 65. Initially there were no serious injuries reported.

The driver of the passenger car lost control of the sedan on an entrance ramp from southbound Highway 65 (Central Avenue) to US 10 EAST. The passenger car skidded across the ramp, and the driver’s side of the sedan hit the right front bumper of the truck.

The sedan spun around 180 degrees and stopped with heavy damage to the driver’s side. The crash impact forced the box truck out of control, and the truck crossed lanes toward the right shoulder and was retained from going over the bridge by a concrete barrier.

Fuel from the truck ignited when the truck hit the barrier wall. Debris from the truck, including flaming debris, fell down to Highway 65 below the overpass. At least one vehicle on Highway 65 ran over flaming debris.

A traffic camera video from the Minnesota Department of Transportation provided much information about during and after the serious interstate crash with a fire.

Here are some more important observations of the video:

A smaller passenger vehicle impacting the larger box truck forced the larger vehicle out of control, risking secondary crashes.

The box truck’s fuel ignited the truck, which then became involved in a major fire, even though it seemed like the fire was diminishing at the beginning.

The driver of the truck evacuated the truck on the driver’s side exiting through flames and smoke.

Stunned and likely injured, the truck driver initially did not evacuate far enough from the truck. A passerby warned him to evacuate further east from the wreckage, and the truck driver complied. Seconds later flaming fuel with thick black smoke advanced to the position where the truck driver had been standing.

Black smoke completely obscured all four lanes and both shoulders of US 10 EAST. Traffic was not moving on US 10 EAST. US 10 WEST was also likely obscured, but traffic was moving in the westbound lanes.

As soon as smoke started to clear over the left shoulder and left lane, vehicles started moving past the crash scene. However, as the fire extended from the truck cab to the cargo area of the truck, flames and smoke increased, and the lanes become obscured again by black smoke.

Eastbound vehicles stopped passing the crash scene, but started moving again as smoke conditions improved again.

Note that none of these motorists likely knew what was burning in the cargo area of the truck, and did not know whether hazardous materials could have released smoke that could negatively impact health.

Traffic on US 10 EAST was diverted to the offramp to Highway 65 around 6 minutes after the crash occurred. Some US 10 EAST motorists who had already passed the exit to Highway 65 turned around to travel westbound in the eastbound lanes to avoid passing through the smoke.

The first fire engine arrived on the overpass at the crash scene about six minutes and 25 seconds after the crash occurred.

Traffic from the ramp from Highway 65 continued to enter on to US 10 EAST, but onramp traffic was stopped when the onramp was blocked by police about 7 minutes and 20 seconds after the crash.

Apparently, steam started to appear from water on the fire about eight minutes and twenty-five seconds after the crash occurred. Traffic on US 10 EAST continued to flow through smoke and steam.

The fire was extinguished about 16 minutes after the crash occurred.

Two ambulances were observed leaving the scene — one at about 33 minutes after the crash occurred, and one at about 34 minutes after the crash occurred.