GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) – A tanker truck caught fire after a collision on US-131, filling the sky in downtown Grand Rapids with black smoke.
The Grand Rapids Police Department tells News 8 the tanker was involved in a single-vehicle crash on US-131 southbound near I-196 Exit 86A just after 8 a.m. Saturday. No casualties were reported.
As of 9:20 a.m., the highway was closed in both directions from Leonard Street NE to Pearl Street as the “fully engulfed” tanker continued to burn. GRPD said in a news release that drivers should prepare for “prolonged closures” while first responders work to clear the road.
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Several eyewitness photos and videos showed fireballs and thick black smoke rising near Amway Stadium, which is still under construction.
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A tanker truck caught fire after a collision on southbound US-131 near Interstate 196 Exit 86A on Saturday. (polite
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A tanker truck caught fire after a collision on southbound US-131 near Interstate 196 Exit 86A on Saturday.
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A tanker truck caught fire after a collision on southbound US-131 near Interstate 196 Exit 86A on Saturday. (Courtesy of Scott Damman)
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A tanker truck caught fire after a collision on southbound US-131 near Interstate 196 Exit 86A on Saturday. (Courtesy of Randy Spentak)
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A tanker truck caught fire after a collision on southbound US-131 near Interstate 196 Exit 86A on Saturday. (Courtesy of Abraham Hall)
Officials said the cause of the crash and fire was not yet known and remains under investigation.
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