WILMINGTON, Mass — Traffic on Interstate 93 in Wilmington was brought to a standstill for hours during the Monday morning commute after a tractor-trailer overturned, spilling junked car parts in the roadway.
Emergency crews responding to a report of a crash on the southbound side of the highway near Exit 35 just before 5 a.m. found a tractor-trailer flipped over on its side and debris littering the travel lanes, according to Massachusetts State Police.
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Two people riding in other vehicles were hospitalized with minor injuries. The driver of the tractor-trailer wasn’t injured.
Video showed traffic at a standstill leading up to the scene of the wreck.
UPDATE: Traffic continues to crawl near Exit 35 on I-93 S in Wilmington after a tractor trailer carrying junked car parts tipped over. Two people in another car were taken to the hospital w/ minor injuries.
— Julianne Lima (@JulianneLimaTV) September 18, 2023
It could be several more hours until all lanes reopen@boston25 https://t.co/lEBGrqMbDl pic.twitter.com/qYFRIUutOU
MassDOT said traffic was backed up for about “eight to nine miles” after the crash closed all the southbound lanes.
One travel lane was back open as of 7 a.m., but MassDOT warned drivers that “it may take several hours for all southbound lanes to reopen.” State police estimated a cleanup time of more than three hours.
The highway was fully reopened to traffic just after 9:30 a.m. but heavy residual delays remained.
Scene clear. All lanes now open https://t.co/OhvKUtCS1O
— Mass. Transportation (@MassDOT) September 18, 2023
UPDATE—#Wilmington I-93 cleanup ongoing. Estimated time to have all lanes reopened is 3+ hours. #MATraffic https://t.co/CcYkHPfHKt
— Mass State Police (@MassStatePolice) September 18, 2023
Boston 25′s Catherine Parrotta reported drive times of more than 90 minutes approaching and getting passed the crash scene.
Drivers were urged to avoid the area after the crash.
The cause of the crash is under investigation.
Our traffic alert 🚨 for 93SB continues. I’m tracking the delays and the volume on your alternate routes on @boston25 pic.twitter.com/ro1caA9P7v
— Catherine Parrotta (@CatherineNews) September 18, 2023
This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.
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