A fire involving a tanker truck shut down the Union Centre Boulevard overpass and nearby ramps Oct. 28 and they will likely stay closed through the Oct. 29 morning commute.
The truck fire and a secondary fire that ignited in a storm drain under the bridge were extinguished. But the overpass will remain closed at least overnight as crews attempt to clear the scene and repair the road, according to West Chester Township officials.
West Chester spokesperson Brianna Wooten said the road between Muhlhauser Road and Civic Centre Road was damaged by the fire and will have to be repaved overnight.
Ohio Department of Transportation officials said in a statement that inspections conducted by ODOT District 8’s bridge department after the fire was extinguished found no structural damage to the bridge; however, the pavement on the deck and ramp incurred a significant amount of damage that will need to be repaired prior to reopening.
There’s also environmental remediation work that needs to be done.
Wooten said the township does not have a specific time to reopen the road but anticipates that the morning rush-hour may be impacted.
Along with the overpass, the ramps to and from southbound I-75 and the off-ramp from I-75 North to westbound Union Centre Boulevard will remain closed.
The off-ramp from northbound I-75 to eastbound Union Centre, as well as the on-ramp to I-75 North, will remain open.
Motorists may detour by way of Cincinnati-Dayton and West Chester roads or by way of I-275 West and state Route 747.
What shut down the road?
A tanker truck, which is designed to carry large volumes of liquid or gas, caught on fire while carrying diesel fuel.
It shut down the overpass and all exit and off ramps at Union Centre.
Fire departments from neighboring municipalities, including Cincinnati, were called to the scene to assist West Chester police, hazardous waste management and the fire department in responding to the fire.
There are no reported injuries at this time.
This story was updated to add new information, add video and add and change photos.
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Union Centre overpass may stay closed for morning rush hour after West Chester tanker fire
Reporting by Gillian Stawiszynski, Cincinnati Enquirer / Cincinnati Enquirer
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