Truck Smashes Through Cincinnati Overpass Barrier And Leaves Cab Hanging Over I-71

A dramatic crash Sunday afternoon left the cab of a tractor-trailer hanging over the Martin Luther King overpass above I-71.

Police and fire crews responded around 5 p.m. The truck driver told investigators he was having brake problems on southbound I-71 and exited at MLK. The brakes then failed, causing the semi to crash through the concrete barrier and leaving the cab hanging over the edge.

Crews rescued a man and a woman from the cab using safety harnesses. They were taken to the hospital and are expected to recover.

The trailer was empty, but about 200 gallons of diesel fuel were in the truck’s tanks. The tanks ruptured, sending fuel onto the exit ramp below and creating a hazardous materials cleanup.

A wrecker towed away the semi, but several roads remained closed overnight. Eastbound MLK was reduced to one lane at Reading Road, while the entrance ramp to southbound I-71 from MLK and the southbound I-71 exit to Taft remained closed.

The Cincinnati Fire Department said the closures would most likely remain through Monday morning rush hour.