HOLLYWOOD, Fla. (WSVN) — Traffic is mostly moving again after it was halted for hours on the southbound lanes of the Interstate 95, Tuesday afternoon, following a tractor-trailer rollover wreck.
Florida Highway Patrol troopers and Hollywood Fire Rescue responded to the scene, just north of Hollywood Boulevard, at around 2 p.m. It would not be until about three hours later that four southbound lanes were once again open.
The tractor trailer was carrying approximately two dozen drums filled with benzyl alcohol. The chemical is not particularly flammable or toxic. However, due to the crash, a small leak spilled inside, but crews were able contain it near the cab of the truck. The truck was later righted and towed away.
According to officials, the driver of the tractor trailer tried to avoid a smaller vehicle that was trying to avoid a third vehicle themselves, causing a chain reaction that led to the rollover.
All lanes had previously been blocked on the Interstate, forcing nearby traffic to come to standstill. Around 2:50 p.m., one lane was opened and traffic was being diverted off at Sheridan Street. At 4 p.m., traffic was backed up past Interstate 595 into Fort Lauderdale.
The driver of the tractor trailer had to be transported to Memorial Regional Hospital with serious but not life-threatening injuries. The driver of the smaller vehicle is OK.