This picture by Charlotte Underwood is looking straight at the Vasper Bridge on I-75, near the 132 mile marker. The crash site is a bit north of the bridge on the southbound side of I-75, which is a couple of miles south of Caryville’s exit 134. (Photo and information courtesy Charlotte Underwood/1450 WLAF Radio and WLAF-TV 12)
A fiery fatal crash that shut down Interstate 75 in Campbell County on Wednesday afternoon has led to miles of backups heading north out of Knoxville and south from Kentucky.
The Tennessee Department of Transportation reports that traffic coming out of Knoxville on northbound Interstate 75 is backed up more than 7.5 miles from exit 129 at Lake City in Anderson County. Information on detours is available by calling 5-1-1.
Meanwhile, southbound traffic on I-75 coming out of Kentucky is backed up more than five miles from exit 134 at Caryville in Campbell County, TDOT said.
TDOT estimated the highway could be clear by 9 p.m. See TDOT’s Twitter feed here. You can also visit TDOT’s Smartmap for more information.
Homes within a half-mile radius of the I-75 crash site were being evacuated at about 5:40 p.m., according to 1450 WLAF Radio and WLAF-TV 12 in LaFollette. A shelter is set up at Caryville Elementary School.
WLAF News said the interstate was closed down in Campbell County at mile marker 133 because of a crash involving two tractor trailers and several cars. The accident occurred around 3 p.m. in the southbound lane, according to emergency management officials. The road closure was due to possibly hazardous materials leaking from one of the tractor trailers, although no radioactive material was reported in the crash.
WLAF News said northbound traffic is being diverted onto Highway 116 at exit 129, while southbound traffic is being diverted on old Highway 25W at exit 134.
See WLAF News for more information.
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