GADSDEN, ALABAMA — A tanker truck plunged off the Meighan Bridge into the Coosa River Tuesday morning, sending the cab to the river bottom and triggering a diesel fuel leak response. The driver escaped from the submerged cab and was transported to a hospital.
The truck came to rest near the Highway 431/Meighan Bridge. The Gadsden Fire Chief confirmed the driver was able to escape the cab after it entered the water. Details about the driver’s injuries were not immediately available.
Gadsden Mayor Craig Ford confirmed the tanker was empty at the time of the crash, limiting the environmental impact. However, the cab sank to the bottom of the Coosa River and was leaking diesel oil. Gadsden Fire Department, Gadsden Police Department, the Etowah County Emergency Management Agency, and the Etowah County Sheriff’s Department responded to contain the leak and are working to retrieve the cab from the river. Mayor Ford said the leak has been contained.
One lane of the Meighan Bridge remains closed until further notice. City officials are urging drivers to avoid the area and use alternate crossings including the Broad Street Bridge or Interstate 759 to cross the river.
The cause of the crash has not been released. The incident remains under investigation.
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