Two hurt when three tractor-trailers crash on I-81

April 24, 2000|By DON AINES

SCOTLAND, Pa. - A Bethlehem, Pa., trucker was taken by helicopter to York (Pa.) Hospital after three tractor-trailers collided Monday morning on Interstate 81, according to Pennsylvania State Police.

Jared Fries, 27, was in satisfactory condition Monday night, according to a York Hospital spokeswoman. Police said he had to be freed from the wreckage of the truck's cab.

Police said the accident was called in at 5:24 a.m. and occurred just south of the Exit 8 southbound on-ramp. James W. Burns, 43, of Nashville, Ind., was merging into traffic from the on-ramp when his rig collided with another tractor-trailer driven by Mark Mackey, 45, of Ballston Lake, N.Y., police said.

Fries' truck then collided with Mackey's, police said. Mackey's tractor burst into flames, but he escaped without injury, according to police.

Fayetteville (Pa.) Volunteer Fire Co. Deputy Chief Bobby Albrecht said the fire destroyed the tractor Mackey was driving.

A Chambersburg Hospital spokeswoman said Burns was released from the hospital after treatment.

Albrecht said Fries' truck went off the west side of the highway into a field. "We used a hydraulic ram to push the lower part of the cab off his ankle area," he said.

Albrecht said the other two trucks stopped on the right shoulder of the interstate.

"The southbound lanes were completely blocked at least until 7 a.m.," when the left lane opened, Albrecht said. Both southbound lanes were open by about 8 a.m., he said.

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