COVINGTON, Ky. — Both directions of Interstate 71-75 are open after a tractor trailer carrying gasoline flipped just south of the Brent Spence Bridge Saturday night. Kentucky Transportation announced at noon that the roads were open to traffic.

What You Need To Know

  • Tractor trailer carrying 8,000 gallons of gas flipped near Brent Spence Bridge

  • Interstate 71-75 was shutdown overnight in both directions

  • Northbound lanes are open, southbound remains closed for clean up

  • The cause of the accident isn't known. The driver was treated for minor injuries

While Interstate 71-75 is open, according to KYTC's Twitter page, portions of 4th and 5th street remain closed and the Roebling Bridge should repopen shortly. 

“The immediate danger is now gone,” said Covington Fire Department Battalion Chief Joe Bowman. “We’re just in the cleanup stage.”

The City of Covington reports the accident happened around 11 p.m. Saturday night when the tractor trailer rolled onto its side and slid across the highway right after crossing the bridge. The fire department doesn’t know how or what caused the accident. The truck driver went to a nearby hospital with minor injuries.

Chief Bowman said the truck was carrying approximately 8,000 gallons of gas and about 500 gallons gushed onto the roadway, falling o the streets below.

Covington and Cincinnati fire crews, along with other local First Responders and representatives from the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet (KYTC) and environmental agencies responded to the scene quickly.

Kenton County Emergency Management issued a CodeRed alert for the area within a half mile of the accident. This allowed crews to block off the area, contain the spill with booms, sand and other absorbent material. Another company was called to drain the truck of the remaining fuel.

The truck was completely drained and pulled upright Sunday morning. Chief Bowman says crews are continuing to scrub the area. They are spreading sand, flushing the area and scooping the sand.

“We hope to reopen the interstate to traffic three to four hours from now,” Bowman said about 9 a.m. this morning, “but that’s just an estimate.”

Overnight, northbound traffic was being rerouted onto I-275 in Erlanger. Because of several tractor trailers and other vehicles overwhelming the historic Roebling Suspension Bridge, that bridge was also temporarily closed, given its low 11-ton weight limit.

Related Stories