Flattened Barrier Wall Reminds Drivers of Dramatic Crash That Shut Down Both Lanes for Nearly 12 Hours

A fiery explosion on US-131 that shut down a portion of the highway in downtown Grand Rapids over the weekend will result in lane closures lasting for weeks as crews repair the damage.

A semi-truck carrying 8,000 gallons of gasoline and another semi-truck crashed near the Pearl Street exit ramp, sparking an explosion and fire. The Grand Rapids Police Department is still investigating the cause of the crash.

Both drivers were taken to local emergency rooms with minor injuries. Michigan Department of Transportation Grand Region Communications Director John Richard said no one was seriously hurt despite the dramatic scene.

So far, it's just the retaining wall and the barrier wall that need to be fixed, Richard said.

A scorch mark remains visible at the site of the crash. Richard noted the damage is not as extensive as initially feared.

To repair the damage, the Michigan Department of Transportation said drivers can expect double lane closures on southbound US-131 and a single lane closure on northbound US-131 for weeks.

Not sure on the timeline yet, but lane closures and ramp closures will be necessary, Richard said.

Drivers may currently see work on a nearby ramp, which was already scheduled to fix a previous hit on a barrier wall. To fix that previous hit on the barrier wall, but they took care of that during the closure over weekend. But now there's another closure because of the explosion on Saturday morning.

I asked my colleague, Fox 17 traffic reporter Robb Westaby, when he last saw a crash like this.

Oh, man, maybe three, four years. I think it happens with this kind of conflagration every few years. I don't know why, Westaby said.

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Witness Describes Dramatic Crash Unfolding Just Yards Away

A witness, Tony Zaidel, believes a speeding flatbed truck carrying lumber may have played a critical role in the crash that led to the fireball.

I slowed down and got behind the tanker, and then this flatbed semi hauling lumber and a forklift went flying past us way too fast for conditions, Zaidel said, describing heavy rain at the time of the crash. He threw so much water on me I had to hit the brakes because I could not see.

Zaidel said within a few hundred yards, the flatbed began to lose control.

He starts fishtailing, and then all of a sudden the whole truck turned sideways and slammed into the west concrete wall, he said.

Moments later, Zaidel said the tanker driver attempted to avoid the crash.

The tanker swerved to the left to avoid hitting the truck and trailer that had just hit the wall, he said. It went right up against the east concrete wall of the freeway and instantly ignited and blew up.

Zaidel said he was directly behind the tanker when it exploded.

It was like someone lit a match and the whole thing got big, he said. It was a fireball, probably 30 feet in diameter, just instantly.

Despite the explosion, Zaidel said the tanker driver climbed out of the truck and he helped him until firefighters escorted him to a nearby ambulance.

This guy drove great. He avoided the accident. He avoided the other semi. Unfortunately, he hit the wall on the east side and ignited, Zaidel said.

He stopped when he noticed the tanker driver climb out of the truck. He had some light burns on his head and his neck and his back. He got in the van. I pulled down the freeway about 100 yards to get away from the fire, because I did not know if it was going to explode big time.

He says he assisted the driver, named Pedro, until firefighters escorted him to a nearby ambulance.

I saw lumber right in front of my windshield. I saw, I was worried it was going to penetrate the glass and stab me, but thank God, it missed me. One Piece hit right here and caused that dent, Zaidel said.

Zaidel said that even though time slowed down in those harrowing moments, he's happy everyone walked away safe.

I had no clue about the lumber truck driver, because I never saw him. Once the fire started, it was just black smoke covering the freeway, and I was relieved to hear nobody died, he said.

Cleanup Continues After Tanker Fire Closes Part of Highway

Both directions of U.S. 131 at I-196 in Kent County closed around 8 a.m. for a report of a vehicle fire.

Michigan's Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy is cleaning up after an oil tanker crashed on U.S. 131 Saturday, April 4. The freeway reopened at 7:30 p.m., per the Michigan State Police.

The truck, carrying about 8,000 gallons of gas, burned for about two hours, Grand Rapids Deputy Fire Chief Jack Johnson said. It sent smoke billowing over the downtown area.

Crews spent about eight hours on site, he said.

We stood by for safety while they transferred the unburned fuel into a different tanker, Johnson said. After that, we turned the scene over to MDOT.

Michigan's Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy sent in emergency contractors to recover spilled gasoline, spokesperson Dale George said. Heavy rain and high stormwater flow created a challenge, he said, since drainage could not be blocked without flooding nearby homes.

The cause of the crash and fire remains under investigation, according to WOODTV 8. MDOT said investigators and engineers were to visit the site Saturday.

Two drivers were taken to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries, Johnson said.