I work next to the Courthouse in Noblesville; traffic is backed up in both directions through town on State Road 32 as they can’t use 465 or I 69. Lots of trucks. Very bad traffic on Indy northside tonight.
NDIANAPOLIS (WISH) - A tanker truck carrying liquid propane exploded on a underpass from I-69 to southbound I-465 Thursday morning.
Emergency crews arrived on the scene moments after the explosion and quickly put out the flames.
24-Hour News 8 reporter Jim Shella reports the trucker was seen by an eye-witness driving recklessly before the accident. He hit a guardrail and flipped the truck over which caused the explosion. Shella reports the driver was injured, but Good Samaritans helped pull him to safety.
Just moments after the explosion a witness described the scene. “I can see flames and a lot of black smoke coming from a truck,” said Wendy Brewer.
Someone in a nearby office building from the explosion called the 24-Hour News 8 newsroom and asked if there had been an earthquake.
The explosion sent a huge plume of smoke into the air, two nearby billboards and a cell phone tower caught fire and sustained extensive damage.
Sage Kopronica another witness near the scene said, “People near the explosion got out of their cars and ran from the scene.”
The explosion also injured another person in a car. That person was taken to a nearby hospital, 3 people were treated at the scene.
I-465 eastbound is closed at exit 31 (Meridian/U.S.31). All eastbound I-465 entrance ramps east of that location are closed. Traffic must exit at exit 31 and go north or south. Any traffic traveling eastbound enroute to I-69 will be diverted northbound on U.S. 31 to State Road 28, eastbound on S.R. 28 to I-69.
I-465 northbound is closed at exit 44 (I-70). All northbound I-465 entrance ramps north of that location are closed.
I-69 southbound is closed at exit 22 (State Road 67-Madison County). Traffic will be diverted southbound on S.R. 67 to S.R. 9 to I-70. All southbound I-69 entrance ramps south of that location are closed.