Oct 3, 2007 2:55 pm US/Eastern
Crews Continue Work To Clear Massive Rockslide
PennDOT's Jim Struzzi says officials are planning to shift all traffic onto the northbound lanes of Route 28.
HARMAR TOWNSHIP (KDKA) ―
Crews continue to work today along Route 28 in Harmar Township clearing heavy boulders, rocks and debris that fell during a major rockslide that also caused a chain reaction accident overnight.
PennDOT's Jim Struzzi tells KDKA that one northbound lane along Route 28 has now reopened to traffic.
The rocks started falling around 3:45am, and right now the three remaining lanes along Route 28 in Harmar Township remain closed.
Struzzi says crews are also cleaning some containers of hazardous material that fell from the truck during the accident.
"Then, shift all traffic onto the northbound side of Route 28, effectively one lane in each direction," Struzzi adds. "So, we'll reopen the southbound to one lane using the northbound lane."
PennDOT's Jim Struzzi tells KDKA that it could be some time until the debris is cleared and the road is completely reopened.
He adds that it could take crews some time to clear the debris from the southbound lanes.
Officials say that several vehicles were caught in the mess as the rocks came down, but no one was seriously injured.
According to authorities, a large boulder hit a tractor-trailer in the southbound lanes during the slide causing the vehicle to flip.
That led to a four to five vehicle chain reaction accident behind the tractor-trailer, officials add.
"I was the first one to get over to him and try to get him out of his truck," said driver Madeline Durning, of the driver of the tractor-trailer. "He was standing up in the truck. He was really lucky, he could have died. That was a forceful, hard, scary accident."
Drivers who use the area are being advised to avoid the roadway, and allow for some extra for commuting.
Stay with KDKA for the very latest on this developing story.
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