Large Tanker Fire on I-270 and State Route 161
Columbus police announced on Monday that they have recovered a black pickup truck believed to be involved in a crash on Sunday that led to a massive fire on the northeast side. The incident occurred just before 1:45 p.m. when the pickup truck lost control and struck a semi carrying fuel on the ramp from I-270 South to State Route 161 East. The collision caused the semi to veer into the guardrail, flip over, and catch fire.
The driver of the pickup truck fled the scene, heading east on SR-161. The semi, which was carrying 8,500 gallons of fuel, spilled its contents and ignited, causing a massive fire. The driver of the tanker was taken to Riverside Hospital and is in stable condition.
The fire resulted in the closure of all lanes on I-270 and SR-161 in the area from Sunday afternoon until early Monday morning. Columbus police said that while they have recovered the pickup truck, no arrests have been made at this time.
The recovery of the pickup truck is a significant development in the investigation into the crash. The Columbus Division of Fire reported that the tanker was carrying 8,500 gallons of fuel. The cause of the crash is still under investigation.
