CANTON TOWNSHIP, Mich. – Nine people were injured after a wrong-way crash sparked a semi-truck fire, hazmat spill, and melted a traffic light in Cantown Township.
Interim Police Chief Joseph Bialy of Canton Township described a violent crash involving a semi-truck and a passenger vehicle on Ford Road near I-275 that left five people injured and four officers hurt as they rescued victims from burning wreckage.
The incident shut down Ford Road near I-275 in Wayne County on Wednesday (March 18) afternoon, around 1 p.m.
All lanes were closed in both directions on Ford Road at Haggerty Road near I-275.
The Michigan Department of Transportation also reported that both directions on the exit ramps from I-275 to Ford Road are closed.
“So, a little bit after one o’clock, Canton dispatch received a 911 call of an injury accident that occurred here at Ford and Hagerty. Emergency response units responded quickly, rendering aid to five victims in the process. Four officers and five victims were injured and taken to the hospital, and all are believed to be in stable but serious condition,” said Bialy.
Bialy said the department’s early investigation indicated the passenger vehicle was traveling the wrong way southbound in northbound lanes when the truck turned, and a collision followed.
“So, I will reiterate that this is uh this is still currently under investigation, but the information that we have at this time is that the passenger vehicle was traveling southbound at a high rate of speed in the northbound lanes. The truck was turning and causing a collision,” Bialy said.
He said fuel or another fluid from the truck spilled, ignited, and trapped occupants.
“Based upon that, the truck had some fluid that spilled on the ground, which then ignited, causing the passengers to be trapped inside the vehicles. Our responding officers quickly took action, going into the fire and removing all the occupants from the vehicles,” Bialy said.
Bialy praised Canton police and fire personnel who injured themselves while quickly entering the blaze to rescue people and credited regional partners for helping contain the scene.
“Our women and men of the Canton Police Department absolutely acted with bravery and courage to make sure that they rendered aid to the citizens that were involved in this, and making sure that everybody was as safe as they could be,” Bialy said.
Investigators treated the scene as complex because of the hazardous-material spill and the nearby gas stations, Bialy said, but he added that there is no ongoing danger to the public and that the spill has been contained.
“We had hazmat on the ground, and we have a gas station. And if you notice, the flames were so high that they melted the traffic control signals. And so, they fought courageously to get these flames down. I give credit to our fire department and our regional partners that came to help us out to be able to navigate this. I do want to reiterate, though, that there is no danger to the public at this time, but the spill has been contained, and that right now we’re just asking that everyone avoid the area as we do continue our investigation.”
Bialy said the early evidence points to a fuel cell on the truck as the likely source of the spill.
“We believe the source came from one of the fuel cells on the truck,” Bialy said.
On injuries, Bialy said three officers were treated at Metro Detroit hospitals for smoke inhalation as a precaution, and one officer sustained a burn after entering the flames to free occupants.
“And again, I’ll reiterate, there are no life-threatening injuries. Three of our four officers were taken to the hospital for precautionary measures for smoke inhalation. And one of our officers, one of the first ones to go into the flames to remove the victims, suffered burns,” Bialy said.
Bialy said the intersection would remain closed for several hours while hazmat crews and traffic-signal repair teams worked with Wayne County to clear the scene.
“Our primary concern right now is making sure that we get all the hazmat cleaned up and that we again maintain safety for everybody, and the roadway will be clear to be able to travel, and then we’ve got to get the traffic lights worked on. So, we’re working with Wayne County to be able to do that. I would anticipate this intersection will be closed for the next several hours.”
Andre Jasmund, a service technician at a local Midas shop near the crash site, said he first realized something was wrong when he heard a loud blast from outside the building.
“I heard a loud noise, a loud pop — like a collision or a tire explosion,” said Jasmund.
Jasmund said he stepped outside and immediately saw smoke rising above nearby buildings in Canton Township.
“I came outside and saw black smoke above the building,” Jasmund said. “When I went to the corner, I could see a vehicle totally engulfed in flames.”
From his vantage point, Jasmund said visibility was limited, but the fire’s intensity was clear.
He later left for lunch and returned to find the crash scene still active, with emergency crews working in the area.
“When I came back, I could see they hadn’t gotten it cleaned up yet,” Jasmund said. “It looked like a car had impacted the truck, like it hit it right in the fuel tank.”
The crash, which authorities said involved a semi-truck and a passenger vehicle, resulted in injuries, though Jasmund said he was told at the scene that those involved were conscious.
“It looks like a bad accident,” Jasmund said. “But I think one of the firemen told me everyone was talking at the scene.”
Authorities have said the crash led to a fire fueled by spilled material from the truck, complicating the response and requiring hazardous materials crews.
Jasmund, who works just a short distance away from the intersection, said the incident was startling but unfolded quickly.
“That’s about all I could see,” Jasmund said. “I just work a couple doors down.”