CT Semi Trailer Crash Covers Interstate in Powder

Oct. 4—TOLLAND — A tractor trailer crashed into a bridge abutment in the westbound lanes of Interstate 84 late Monday morning and nine 1 1/2 -ton bags of gypsum powder burst open, necessitating an extensive cleanup effort that slowed traffic in both directions, Fire Chief John Littell said.

The driver and passenger in the truck were evaluated by emergency medical personnel, and both refused treatment or transportation to hospitals, Littell said.

Although the accident occurred in the westbound lanes, the gypsum powder covered 2 1/2 eastbound lanes, the chief said. He added that there was "a heavy debris field" in the westbound lanes, which also had to be cleaned up to get traffic moving.

The accident occurred as the tractor trailer headed from the area of exit 69, where Route 74, Tolland Stage Road, crosses the highway, toward exit 68, where Route 195, Merrow Road, crosses.

Littell said the Fire Department received the report of the accident at 11:28 a.m. He said at 3:09 p.m. that he had just left the scene, where firefighters used their hoses to wash the gypsum powder off all three eastbound lanes and a couple of westbound lanes.

Even when Littell left the scene, the cleanup wasn't over. He said Environmental Services, a private cleanup company, had been called out to do more work on the "high speed lanes" in each direction.

He said the tractor trailer was carrying a dozen 3,000-pound bags of gypsum powder, which is used in wallboard. He said it lost nine of the bags in the accident, all of which burst open.

State police were investigating the accident, but a call to their public information office wasn't immediately returned.

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