Wade Avenue, I-440 ramp reopens after tractor-trailer overturns

A serious tractor-trailer crash closed a ramp to I-440 in Raleigh during the morning commute on Wednesday.

The crash was reported around 7 a.m. in the eastbound lanes of Wade Avenue at the I-440 ramp. One ramp from Wade Avenue onto I-440 East was closed. The area reopened to traffic around 1:30 p.m.

According to Raleigh police, no one was injured when the 18-wheeler overturned. However, diesel fuel spilled on the roadway, and the hazardous material response caused the closure to last hours. 

Another tractor-trailer driver said he was one of the first to help.

"I could see the dust and smoke...and realized no first responders were nearby," said Steven Preddy. "Everyone was driving around it. I knew it have to have happened seconds or minutes from when I got here. I put my flashers on and used my truck to block the traffic. People were just driving around it. I ran over and helped get the driver out of the truck."

Sky 5 flew overhead at 7:30 a.m., showing the truck on its side and a large emergency response. Around 12 p.m., a similar sight persisted as crews worked to clean up the mess. The trailer was upright at that point.