Semi fire, four-car crash bog down Route 2 in Amherst

AMHERST — A car plowed into stopped traffic on Route 2 on Friday afternoon as firefighters worked to get a semitrailer fire under control near the Oak Point Road exit. Both incidents could have been much worse, according to Amherst emergency workers — only one person was rushed by LifeCare ambulance to Mercy Health Lorain Hospital with what appeared to be non-life-threatening injuries. Problems started when a triple-axle truck's rear passenger-side tire caught fire, said Chief Jim Wilhelm said. It's unclear how it started — the brakes are a candidate — but he said the fire grew so hot that it melted through the aluminum trailer. Limestone the truck was hauling was spilled all over the highway, resulting in the closure of one of the eastbound lanes. The semi driver was unhurt, according to police Sgt. Jacob Perez. In fact, Wilhelm said he was able to disconnect the tractor, which was undamaged, and drive away. But the danger on the highway hadn't passed. A Hyundai sedan slammed into a Chevy Silverado stopped by the work ahead, and careened into a Chrysler Town and Country minivan and a Ford Econoline, Perez said. "He actually ripped the whole back tire and rim off that (Chevy) truck," he said. The driver, whose license was suspended, told police he'd looked down to answer a phone call from his wife, according to Perez. Witnesses said the Hyundai didn't slow down at all before plowing into traffic. That driver was taken to the hospital. His name was not yet available Friday. Police planned to charge him with failure to maintain an assured clear distance ahead, as well as driving under suspension. Vermilion firefighters were called for mutual aid during the crash, which Amherst police Lt. Dan Makruski said shut down both eastbound lanes for 20 to 30 minutes. Vaughn's Towing was called to clean up the wreckage. And still the danger was not over. After Amherst firefighters left, they received word the semitrailer was on fire again. Wilhelm said tires are notoriously hard to extinguish once they catch fire. The semitrailer was sitting on a pile of limestone and was moved, allowing it to reignite — so his crews pulled a 180 and headed back to Route 2 to get the job done. They cleared the scene about 2 p.m. Interstate Towing was used to clean up the burned semitrailer, since a huge flatbed was needed to haul it away. The Ohio Department of Transportation used a small loader to remove the limestone so the highway could fully open. Contact Jason Hawk at (440) 329-7122 or news@lcnewspapers.com.