Truck crash, penny spill shut down I-95
NEW CASTLE, Del. -- One lane of I-95 North has reopened, but the right two lanes remain blocked in New Castle, Delaware after a tractor-trailer overturned and caught fire, spilling blank pennies all over the roadway.
The crash happened just before 2:00 a.m. Thursday morning near the I-295 split.
Police say the big rig, carrying blank pennies and headed to the U.S. Mint in Philadelphia, slammed into a Jersey barrier, overturned and caught fire.
Images from Chopper 6 HD and the Action Cam showed tens of thousands of blank pennies covering the roadway.
The driver suffered minor injuries and received treatment at the scene.
There was no immediate word what led to the crash or if the driver would face any charges.
For hours, throughout the morning rush hour, multiple crews worked to clear the pennies, debris and even spilled gasoline from the highway.
Delaware State Police shut down all lanes of northbound I-95, forcing traffic off the roadway at the Rt. 141/Basin Rd. exit.
Traffic was detoured onto U.S. Rt. 13 North to I-295 North.
Action News found a huge backup Airport Road as commuters who had been detoured off of I-95 inched along.
Some were shocked to learn a sea of copper was part of the delay.
"I should've been at work a half-hour hour ago," said Nancy Stubbs of Elkton, Md.
"It's a mess out here," said Daryll Bradley of Bear, Del.
"Nothing you can do about," said another motorist. "We're stuck here."
DelDOT said one lane of I-95 North was back open by 10 a.m., but the right two lanes remained closed.
Traffic backups on the interstate were expected to continue through the rest of the morning.
