Photos/Story by Denny Clopper

Friday, April 26th, 2002 at 0718hrs, the Franklin County 911 Center located in Chambersburg, Pa., dispatched the 21-76 box for a reported vehicle accident on the Pennsylvania Turnpike in the vicinity of milemarker 186.2. It was a vehicle accident, involving a tractor trailer smashing into the outside wall of the Tuscarora Tunnel.

The accident was located in Huntingdon County at the exit of the tunnel westbound lane. The tractor trailer was traveling eastbound. The tractor trailer struck the outside wall forcing the cab of the trailer partway into the tunnels generator room.

The tractor trailer burst into flames,which traveled upward on the outside wall of the tunnel. The driver of the truck was killed instantly.

There was no report of injuries to any of the turnpike employees who were in the area of the tunnel at the time of the accident. No report of any injuries to oncoming motorist.

Both sides of the tunnel east and westbound were full of smoke at one time, and the lighting was knocked out making the tunnels completely dark. The turnpike was shutdown for several hours both eastbound and westbound between the Willow Hill interchange and the Fort Littleton interchange.

Traffic was also shut down westbound at the Willow Hill intercahnge.There was a backup of traffic for several miles at one time.

The Huntingdon County coroner was on scene, along with local PSP, Penn Dot Reps, Turnpike Reps and D.O.T. reps. Fire and EMS crews from Franklin County Co. 21 Metal Twp., Co 12 Fannett Metal,Fulton County Companies Co 57 Hustontown, Huntingdon County Co 14 Shade Gap, Cumberland County Companies Co 51 Newburg and Co 53 Cumberland Valley Hose with Air Cascade unit.

Cause of the accident is unknown at this time. The length of time the Pa.Turnpike will be shut down is also unknown at this time. Crews were still on the scene at 1400 hrs.

The tractor trailer was only about 1/4 full with paper magazines and paper inserts for magazines.