Imagine facing a giant wave of thick, black liquid rampantly surrounding your car in traffic. This nightmarish scenario was a reality for those in Detroit as a semi-truck crashed, spilling 700 lbs of diesel across the pavement. 

Semi-truck crashes and spills 700 lb of diesel on Detroit freeway 

Michigan State Police in Detroit quickly responded to reports of an accident on the southbound M-10 near Wyoming and Livernois Avenue around five a.m. 

When they arrived on the scene, they saw a semi-truck and multiple other vehicles stranded in a thick, black liquid. The semi-truck spilled 700 lbs of diesel fuel in the roadway. There were three non-injury-related crashes due to the spill. 

Luckily, the fuel didn’t catch on fire or things could have been much worse. According to Fox 2 Detroit, police officers shared that the 45-year-old truck driver didn’t have a commercial driver’s license (CDL). 

Firefighters, hazmat teams, and emergency crews spent hours cleaning up the fuel spill. Traffic was delayed for hours. The Michigan Department of Transportation suggested alternative routes for motorists. 

The wrecked vehicles were cleared by 8:30 a.m. as cleanup efforts continued. Hopefully, the ground soil and groundwater weren’t contaminated. It’s unclear what caused the trucker to crash or if the spill occurred before the initial collision. 

Operating a semi-truck without a CDL is illegal, but some states have a few exceptions for farmers and a gross vehicle weight rating of less than 26,001 lbs. 

Driving a tractor-trailer without a CDL may result in large fines, jail time, vehicle impoundment, a license suspension, job loss, insurance price hikes, and being shut down. Employers could also face liability, fines, compliance audits, and restrictions.