CANTON TOWNSHIP, MICHIGAN — A wrong-way crash on Ford Road near I-275 set off a chain reaction Wednesday afternoon. A semi-truck caught fire, hazardous material spilled across the road, and the flames burned hot enough to melt a traffic light. Nine people ended up in the hospital.
Just after 1 p.m., a semi-truck and a passenger vehicle collided violently at Ford and Haggerty Roads. Five crash victims needed immediate help. Four Canton Township police officers ran straight into the burning wreckage to pull them out. One officer suffered burns. Three more went to the hospital for smoke inhalation as a precaution. Remarkably, all nine are in stable but serious condition. None face life-threatening injuries.
As if the fire wasn’t enough, a fuel cell on the semi ruptured and dumped hazardous material onto the road. Nearby gas stations made an already dangerous scene even more complicated. Despite the chaos, crews contained the spill.
Photo credit: FOX 2
Officers Run Into the Fire
“We had hazmat on the ground, and we have a gas station,” said Interim Police Chief Joseph Bialy. “And if you notice, the flames were so high that they melted the traffic control signals. They fought courageously to get these flames down. I give credit to our fire department and our regional partners.”
Bialy confirmed the spill is contained and the public faces no ongoing danger. “We believe the source came from one of the fuel cells on the truck,” he said. He also praised his officers. “Our women and men of the Canton Police Department absolutely acted with bravery and courage, making sure that everybody was as safe as they could be.”
Photo credit: local4news
What a Nearby Witness Saw
Meanwhile, Andre Jasmund, a service technician at a Midas shop just a couple of doors from the intersection, heard a loud blast from inside the building. “I heard a loud noise, a loud pop — like a collision or a tire explosion,” Jasmund said. He stepped outside and spotted black smoke rising above nearby buildings. When he reached the corner, a vehicle was completely engulfed in flames. He left for lunch and returned to find crews still working the scene. “It looked like a car had impacted the truck, like it hit it right in the fuel tank,” he said. A firefighter on scene told him everyone involved was conscious. “It looks like a bad accident. But I think one of the firemen told me everyone was talking at the scene,” Jasmund said.
As a result of the crash, Ford Road near I-275 closed in both directions. Both exit ramps from I-275 to Ford Road shut down as well. The Michigan Department of Transportation confirmed the closures. Bialy said the intersection will likely stay closed for several more hours while hazmat crews finish cleanup and Wayne County repairs the melted traffic signals. “Our primary concern right now is making sure that we get all the hazmat cleaned up and maintain safety for everybody,” Bialy said.
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