BALDWIN, Fla. – A tractor-trailer hauling fuel and a smaller work truck collided on westbound Interstate 10, just west of U.S. 301, late Friday morning, causing a large fuel spill that shut down the highway for hours as crews worked to clean up the mess.
According to the Florida Highway Patrol, a white Dodge Ram pickup truck and a gas tanker made contact with each other, rupturing the tank and spilling about 700 gallons of fuel onto the highway.
The pickup truck then overturned onto its rooftop in the center median. The 62-year-old man driving the pickup was taken to UF Health with minor injuries, troopers said. The passenger in the pickup and the driver of gas tanker were not hurt.
PHOTOS: Crash rips hole in tanker truck, spills fuel
The crash was reported about 11:15 a.m. and cleanup crews worked until just before 4 p.m. to get the road reopened.
All lanes of I-10 at U.S. 301 reopened about 4 p.m. The Baker County Sheriff's Office said that traffic was backed up on U.S 90 all the way to Macclenny as drivers tried to find a way around the mess.
Some drivers told News4Jax they spent more than an hour in traffic trying to get around the detour.
Charges are pending the investigation, the Highway Patrol said.