By KAREN ROCHESTER
A rolled over semi truck blocked both lanes of traffic on I-15 for 4 1-2 hours Thursday morning.
The accident happened at approximately 4300 South and closed northbound I-15 from 4500 South to 2100 South during the rush hour morning commute.
Kathy Healey, a Utah Highway Patrol dispatcher, said the rollover caused the freeway to be closed from 6:30 to 11 a.m.
Verdie White, spokesman for the UHP, said the flatbed semi truck was traveling north on I-15 at approximately 6:30 a.m. The driver lost control while rounding a slight curve in the road, causing the accident, he said.
“As the semi went around the curve the load began to shift and caused the driver to lose control of the truck,” he said.
The semi was carrying a load of sheet glass and when the truck rolled over the glass sheets were scattered 50 yards along I-15, White said.
The driver of the truck was wearing a seat belt at the time of the accident and was not injured. There were no other cars involved in the accident, White said.
Cement barricades had to be removed from the construction zone on I-15 so the semi truck could be removed from the road, he said.
“The removal of the barricades allowed workers to drag the semi into the construction zone to flip it to the right side,” White said.
The construction area allowed for the open space needed to handle the flipped semi truck, he said.
After the truck was removed from the freeway, the cleanup of the glass was the only other challenge for the crew in an effort to reopen I-15, White said.
