I-5 reopens after nearly eight-hour closure in downtown Seattle

SEATTLE – Seattle suffered one of its worst traffic jams in years Monday as all lanes of I-5 were closed by a propane truck crash for about 8 hours in downtown Seattle.

The semi-truck rolled over on a southbound lane that feeds into Interstate 5 just after 10 a.m. Monday. The driver of the truck suffered minor injuries. Officials closed the freeway between Interstate 90 and the West Seattle bridge. They also closed I-90 at the stadiums.

A Seattle Fire Department hazardous materials team oversaw the transfer of fuel from the rolled truck to another tanker truck Monday afternoon.

Just before 6:15 p.m., WSP troopers reopened I-5.



According to The Associated Press, the truck driver told the Washington State Patrol that traffic in front of him slowed and he was unable to stop, plowing into four other vehicles and causing him to roll over. The driver of the truck suffered minor injuries.

Seattle Fire said three men were taken to Harborview Medical Center with non-life-threatening injuries.

At one point, a taco truck opened up to serve hungry commuters stuck in the backup on northbound I-5.



Seattle police and the Washington State Patrol evacuated the homeless camp under I-5 and extinguished all campfires there as a precaution.



 

The first closures happened at about 10:45 a.m., and all lanes of westbound I-90 closed soon after at Rainier Ave. S.

Seattle Public Schools dispatched its buses earlier than normal in an effort to get students home on time Monday afternoon.