BRUCETON MILLS — A New jersey man was killed in an accident that tied up traffic on Interstate 68 for hours Sunday.
According to a press release from West Virginia State Police, Kanhai A. John, 42, of Jersey City, was driving a tractor trailer truck carrying Piperidine, a “highly corrosive and explosive” chemical. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
His wife, Simone Charles, 40, was a passenger in the truck and was able to climb from the passenger side window, according to the release. She was transported to J.W. Ruby Memorial Hospital by ambulance for treatment.
The truck rolled over at the 19-mile marker about 12:15 p.m. Sunday. All eastbound lanes were closed and only one westbound lane left open because of the hazardous material.
The 2013 Freightliner truck was bound from Jersey City, New Jersey, to Cleveland, Ohio.
”Upon entering a right-hand downhill turn, Mr. John lost control of his tractor truck and trailer and overturned an unknown amount of times,” Trooper T.P. Nicholson wrote. “The tractor truck and occupants traveled left of the inner white line and crossed the median while overturning.”
The tractor and trailer separated into three components. The four total components of the vehicle covered the eastbound lanes of I-68. The trailer held 80 barrels of Piperidine, which incurred a small leak. Preston 911 reported all lanes were reopened at 10:57 p.m.
Miller Environmental cleaned up the hazardous material and hazmat units from around the area controlled the leak, including the Preston County HIRT Team. Bruceton-Brandonville and Albright Volunteer Fire Departments from Preston County, Farmington and Markeysville Fire Departments from Pennsylvania, and units from Garrett County, Md., also responded.
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