LYNNWOOD — A semi truck crash sprawled wreckage across all lanes of northbound I-5 Thursday morning in Lynnwood, halting traffic.
The semi was hauling a tractor loaded with four large metal pipes — each about 4 feet in diameter — when it rolled around 10:30 a.m. at the northbound on-ramp from I-405, near Alderwood mall, according to the Washington State Patrol.
“Literally all of northbound is fully blocked,” state trooper Heather Axtman said, moments after she arrived at the scene. “It’s absolutely incredible.”
The semi driver suffered injuries that were not considered life-threatening. He was taken by ambulance to Providence Regional Medical Center Everett. He told state troopers he’d been going around a sweeping curve at the interchange, when the trailer began to lose its load. A state commercial vehicle investigator was examining the exact cause of the crash, including whether the pipes were properly strapped down.
No one else was hurt.
Three other vehicles took damage, however.
The driver of a green Ford F-150 pickup truck slammed on his brakes when he saw the load tilt and break. At least one of the giant pipes hit his work truck, causing severe damage, Axtman said.
A green Volkswagen Jetta and a silver crossover vehicle were hit by other debris, and the damage was relatively minor.
A lane of traffic was slowly squeezing past the crash by 11 a.m. A half-hour later, the semi was upright again and three lanes were back to normal. Axtman credited Dick’s Towing for the surprisingly speedy reopening of the freeway.
Caleb Hutton: 425-339-3454; chutton@heraldnet.com. Twitter: @snocaleb.
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