ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Tuesday, July 16, 1996 TAG: 9607160049
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV-3 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
Heavy rain Monday afternoon was blamed by authorities for several accidents on Interstate 81, including one overturned tractor-trailer that closed two lanes for six hours.
Lt. Curtis Bailey of the state police said none of the accidents resulted in serious injuries, but the tractor-trailer that overturned leaked about 300 gallons of diesel fuel.
Bailey said the accident occurred about 2 p.m. near Fort Chiswell in Wythe County. The cleanup closed the interstate's northbound and southbound passing lanes for about six hours.
A second accident involving a tractor-trailer happened when the rig changed lanes and struck a vehicle. Bailey called the accident minor and said no one was injured. Bailey said he was not certain the weather played a part in that accident, but it was raining hard at the time.
Bobby Lorton, captain of the Pulaski County Rescue Squad, said the squad took one person to a hospital with minor injuries after a northbound van hydroplaned and rolled over several times. The accident occurred about 2 p.m. near exit 33 in Pulaski County.
Lorton said the Newbern Fire Department and New River Rescue Squad joined the Pulaski County squad on a call earlier in the day where a man was pinned in his car for nearly an hour.
The man was traveling south on the interstate about 7:15 a.m. when he flipped his car end over end near exit 32 in Pulaski County. He was pinned for 45 to 50 minutes, Lorton said, and then taken to Carilion Radford Community Hospital with minor injuries.
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