Eastbound I-196 shut down after semi strikes spilled steel coils
A major traffic disruption closed eastbound I-196 in Ottawa County early Wednesday morning following a collision involving spilled industrial cargo.
ZEELAND TWP. — A major traffic disruption closed eastbound I-196 in Ottawa County early Wednesday morning following a collision involving spilled industrial cargo.
According to the Ottawa County Sheriff’s Office, deputies were dispatched to eastbound I-196 near the 62-mile marker at approximately 3:55 a.m. on June 17, after a semi-truck struck a massive steel coil lying in the roadway.
A preliminary investigation revealed that a tractor-trailer lost its load of steel coils while traveling on the highway. Shortly after, a second semi-truck, driven by a 56-year-old Muskegon man, collided with the debris. The impact caused disabling damage to the vehicle, leaving it stranded and blocking both eastbound lanes.
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Emergency crews shut down eastbound I-196 at Exit 55 in Zeeland Township to facilitate recovery efforts.
Officials said the highway would remain closed for an extended period while heavy-duty towing services worked to remove the disabled semi. The Ottawa County Road Commission was also deployed to clear the remaining steel coils from the lanes.
— Submitted by the Ottawa County Sheriff's Office. To submit a news tip, email newsroom@ottawanewsnetwork.org.
