Rigs that burned in Schuylkill County crash were hauling M&M's, Snickers, plastic cups
Apr. 13—Northbound Interstate 81 was shut down for hours in central Schuylkill County Monday when a disabled tractor-trailer was struck by another rig and both burst into flames.
One driver was hurt, but there were no life-threatening injuries, said Bill Lindenmuth, chief of Frackville's Goodwill Hose Co., who called that fact "amazing" considering the circumstances.
The accident occurred at mile marker 114 about two miles south of the Minersville exit.
He said the cab and trailer that struck the other rig was destroyed by fire, as was the trailer that was struck. The cab of the disabled unit did not catch fire, and the service truck that was in front of the disabled rig was not hit, he said.
The one trailer was loaded with boxes of fun-size Peanut M&M's and Snickers bars and the other contained clear plastic drinking cups.
Goodwill personnel got to the scene in less than 15 minutes after being dispatched at 9:02 a.m., Lindenmuth said, and found both trailers and the one cab "fully involved." The cab and trailers burned "to the frame," he said.
Firefighters were on scene until 2 p.m. Both northbound lanes of the highway, however, remained closed until at least 6 p.m., according to PennDOT's 511PA travel conditions website.
Vehicles were being detoured a few miles south at the Hegins exit onto Route 25, then Route 209 and Route 901 back onto the interstate at the Minersville exit, causing traffic slowdowns on those highways throughout the day.
State police had not issued a report on the accident as of Monday evening.
