Hagerstown, MD – On 11/18/2015 at approximately 5:17 PM a tractor trailer carrying two shipping containers with hazardous materials overturned on I-81 southbound just north of Maugans Ave.
The truck was transporting suits used for radioactive clean up. The cargo was considered safe by hazardous material crews and no threat to the public or property.
Crews from Washington County Fire/EMS and Fort Detrick Haz Mat responded. Traffic was impacted on I-81 through Maryland and into Pennsylvania.
Troopers are continuing the investigation into the cause of the collision. At this time we can confirm the shipment of radioactive cleaning suits was being transported from Three Mile Island, located in central Pennsylvania about 10 miles south of Harrisburg in Londonderry Township destined for disposal in Tennessee.
The tractor trailer has been removed from the scene. I-81 is now opened for traffic. The truck was removed to a safe storage lot and is under inspection by members of the Fort Detrick Haz-mat team and members from the Three Mile Island facility. Interstate 81 was closed for 4 hours for the clean-up.
The cause of the collision has been determined to be distracted driving and the operator, Daniel Bates, 57 from Tennessee was charged in the collision by Maryland State Police.
