GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — A massive tanker fire that shut down a portion of US-131 in downtown Grand Rapids over the weekend will result in lane closures lasting for weeks as crews repair the damage.
A semi-truck carrying 8,000 gallons of gasoline and another semi-truck crashed near the Pearl Street exit ramp, sparking an explosion and fire.
The Grand Rapids Police Department is still investigating the cause of the crash.
Both drivers were taken to local emergency rooms with minor injuries.
"I still can't believe that no one was seriously hurt," Michigan Department of Transportation Grand Region Communications Director John Richard said.
A scorch mark remains visible at the site of the crash. Richard noted the damage is not as extensive as initially feared.
"So far, it's just the retaining wall and the barrier wall that need to be fixed," Richard said.
To repair the damage, the Michigan Department of Transportation said drivers can expect double lane closures on southbound US-131 and a single lane closure on northbound US-131 for weeks.
"Not sure on the timeline yet, but lane closures and ramp closures will be necessary," Richard said.
Drivers may currently see work on a nearby ramp, which was already scheduled to fix a previous hit on a barrier wall.
"To fix that previous hit on the on the barrier wall, but they took care of that during the closure over the weekend. But now there's another closure because of the explosion on Saturday morning," Richard said.
I asked my colleague, Fox 17 traffic reporter Robb Westaby, when he last saw a crash like this.
"Oh, man, maybe three, four years. I think it happens with this kind of conflagration every few years. I don't know why," Westaby said.
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