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WARSAW, N.C. (WITN) – Highway 24 and I-40 westbound in Duplin County remained shut down Tuesday night after a tanker carrying nitrobenzene overturned in Warsaw.
The tanker overturned near the I-40 interchange at around 11:15 a.m. Tuesday, according to the town’s fire department. The crash prompted a large response from firefighters, EMS, hazmat crews and the N.C. Highway Patrol.
“The driver was coming off the interstate; he made his turn too fast and the load shifted causing his truck to flip over at the intersection,” said Sgt. Devin Rich of the N.C. Highway Patrol.
The driver had minor injuries, officials said.
Hazmat crews spent hours working to monitor and clean up the chemical. Officials said the chemical is not considered an immediate threat to the public, and a perimeter around the tanker has been put in place.
The closures forced cars to take alternate routes. Truck driver Chasmin Rodgers said she had been waiting since the morning to go through.
“Is it an inconvenience as far can’t go where you want to go? Yeah, but safety is first, so they’re doing their job and as long as they’re doing their job, the quicker things will get taken care of,” Rodgers said.
Rich said he hoped to have the interstate back open within two to three hours. Highway 24 may take longer, he said.
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