It turns out that wind turbine incidents aren’t only a problem for East Coast beaches.
Apparently, wind blades can pose challenges even before they are installed.
Last week, a wind turbine blade being transported by a tractor-trailer broke loose and crashed onto I-70 near Hagerstown, Maryland. The accident resulted in significant traffic disruption and one person being hospitalized.
The incident happened around 5 a.m. on the westbound lanes of Interstate 70, ABC affiliate WJLA reported.The blade became loose and crossed over the center median and into the eastbound lanes, Maryland State Police said.Nearly three hours after the incident, crews removed the blade from the road.Officials said one person was taken by ambulance to Meritus Medical Center with non-life-threatening injuries after the incident.
The crash impacted traffic for nearly 3 hours during rush hour.
“At approximately 5:30 a.m., a tractor trailer traveling westbound on I-70 was pulling a wind turbine blade that struck the guardrail causing the blade to go partially into the eastbound lanes,” a statement said. “The blade was then clipped by a tractor trailer traveling eastbound.”The crash resulted in the closure of all westbound lanes of I-70 at I-81 and two lanes in the eastbound direction, the Maryland SHA said on X.All lanes were reopened by 8:28 a.m., a subsequent post said.
Moving the blade from the road took considerable effort.
“Heavy tow crews were able to back the truck up after the guardrail was cut out and get the trailer back onto the westbound lanes. The entire unit was then driven up to I-70 west of Md. Rt. 63 and parked on the wide shoulder,” SHA’s statement said.
The only reported injury involved a worker removing the guardrail, who suffered a hand injury and was taken to a nearby medical center.
At least this incident didn’t create a major environmental contamination incident … just a lot of unhappy rush hour drivers.
But the video certainly provided perspective of the massive size of the blades, and why the offshore incident led to serious consequences for the beaches hit by the debris from the Vineyard Wind turbine farm.
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