Truck overturns on Highway 19E blocking southbound lanes
Published 11:16 am Monday, December 11, 2017
An early morning accident on a busy city highway led to traffic disruptions Monday morning.
Around 6:15 a.m. on Monday, a tractor and trailer attempting to merge from Broad Street into the southbound lanes of Highway 19E overturned, blocking both southbound lanes of traffic. The truck came to rest on its side. No other vehicles were involved in the crash.
The Carter County Rescue Squad responded to the accident to check the driver for injuries. The driver was transported to a local hospital for further evaluation. Elizabethton Police Department Officer Aaron Bennett said the driver’s injuries were not severe.
According to Bennett, the driver of the truck reported that another vehicle cut him off, but the cause of the accident is still under investigation. An officer on the scene said speed might have been a contributing factor to the crash.
Traffic in the area was impacted as southbound vehicles were re-directed onto the shoulder of the road to pass by the accident scene. One of the northbound lanes next to the crash was also closed off by emergency vehicles.
The truck was hauling a load of particle board at the time of the crash. Elizabethton Fire Department Capt. Steve Murray said the trailer had to be unloaded before the trailer and truck could be moved. Around 9 a.m. a forklift arrived at the scene to begin the work of unloading the trailer. Murray estimated it would take a few hours before the scene would be completely cleared and all lanes opened back up to traffic.
Damage to the truck resulted in a fuel leak, but Murray said the crew on the scene had been able to contain the leak.
Since the accident involved a commercial vehicle, the Tennessee Highway Patrol responded to the scene, but THP officials said the accident would be investigated by the Elizabethton Police Department.