Interstate 70 in Clay County, Indiana was shut down for hours on Saturday afternoon, due to a multiple vehicle collision involving three tractor trailers.
It happened on the westbound lanes, at mile marker 18, around 2 p.m.
According to the Indiana State Patrol, the incident occurred when 48-year-old Abid Sibalo failed to stop in time for traffic and struck a semi driven by 32-year-old Deepak Aery. Aery’s truck then plowed into a third tractor trailer, driven by 65-year-old Jerry Johnson.
TRAFFIC ALERT: MASSIVE fire on I-70 around the Brazil exit. Traffic backed up on both sides. Drivers, avoid the area. @WTHITV pic.twitter.com/FXslgnabe7
— Melissa Crash (@Melissa_WTHI) October 22, 2016
Two of the tractor trailers caught fire after a fuel tank erupted. They were burned to the frame before firefighters could extinguish the fires.
The highway was reopened around 5 p.m., after being shut down for approximately three hours.
I-70 WB near Brazil back open after fiery truck crash shuts down traffic for several hours. Only 1 lane open as clean up continues @WISH_TV
— Jeff Wagner (@Jeff_Wagner8) October 22, 2016
Sibalo was taken to Terre Haute Regional Hospital and treated for minor injuries. He was cited for failure to reduce speed to avoid a collision. The other two drivers were not injured.
