No injuries in I-70 explosion
By Paul Peirce and Renatta Signorini
A propane tank being hauled in a tractor-trailer exploded Thursday, shutting down Interstate 70 eastbound for four hours in Westmoreland County and snarling traffic for miles, according to state police.
The force of the 11 a.m. explosion ripped apart the trailer, spilling between 100-150 propane tanks of various sizes over the highway for about 50 yards near the Smithton exit in South Huntingdon Township. The highway reopened just before 3 p.m.
“The tanks were supposed to be empty, and we’re investigating what happened,” said Trooper Robert Broadwater.
The force of the blast scattered metal pieces of the trailer over both the eastbound and westbound lanes of the four-lane highway and over a concrete jersey barrier into a work zone, Broadwater said.
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