MARION COUNTY — An overturned tanker truck had traffic on Interstate 57 south of Salem diverted for hours Tuesday night, as crews worked to clear the scene at mile marker 108 which is about 2 miles south of Route 161 near the Marion County/Jefferson County line.

According to the Kell Fire Protection District, the call came in around 6 p.m. last night, and while the driver of the semi was originally trapped inside, he was able to get out of the vehicle before firefighters arrived on the scene.

The truck was reportedly hauling a non-hazardous material — ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer. While the tank the truck was hauling didn’t rupture or leak, the diesel fuel-tank and motor oil from the semi did leak onto the roadway. The Salem Fire Protection District was called for mutual aid to provide a hazmat trailer to control those leaks.

Marion County ESDA was on scene and routed traffic from I-57 southbound to State Route 161, south to Highway 37 and back on to I-57 at the Dix exit.

No injuries were reported. Firefighters remained on the scene for approximately four hours. The semi remained on the shoulder of the interstate this morning.

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