Indiana truck crash: Driver recovering after UPS truck catches fire while wedged between 2 bridges
All lanes of I-90 in Hammond, Indiana, are now back open
HAMMOND, Ind. (WLS) -- A UPS semi-truck went over a bridge on the Indiana Toll Road at the Calumet River Friday morning in northwest Indiana, police said.
The crash happened at around 2 a.m. on the Indiana Toll Road just east of Calumet Avenue in Hammond.
It's unclear what caused the empty ups truck to lose control but authorities say it caught fire after it plunged over a bridge and into the Grand Calumet River below.
The driver somehow was able to climb out of the wreck and wait for rescue crews. Authorities said he did not seem seriously injured.
"We searched the waterway and were able to locate the driver on the concrete pillar safe, a little disoriented," said Hammond Deputy Fire Chief Bernie Grisolia. "Luckily, he was OK. We did transport him to a local hospital and he's getting treated, so we're hoping he's doing OK."
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UPS said they are thankful their driver is safe and that there were no other vehicles involved. The shipping company said they are working with authorities on this continuing investigation.
A spokesperson said the driver has been released from the hospital with minor injuries.
Crews have worked to clear the wreck all day, but have run into challenges.
They were able to get the trailer out with a giant crane and pull it onto I-90, but the cab remained in the water.
The crane was hooked up to the trailer to slowly pull it out and then the cab separated from it, falling back into the water.
The crash has caused a traffic mess, with several lanes needing to be shut down. They have since been reopened.
Investigators are still trying to officially figure out what caused this crash, but the fire chief said his best guess is some combination of speed, wind, and the fact that the trailer of that UPS truck was empty when the driver lost control.
