MOUNTLAKE TERRACE — A 22-year-old Bremerton man was killed Sunday night when his car was crushed by an overturned tanker truck hauling liquid nitrogen.
The crash shut down northbound I-5 for more than eight hours while crews transferred the nitrogen to another tanker truck and removed the big rig and the passenger car from the freeway.
The tanker was carrying about 7,000 pounds of nitrogen, Washington State Patrol trooper Mark Francis said.
The accident happened about 11:15 p.m. just south of 220th Street SW.
The tanker truck driver, a 50-year-old Puyallup man, told troopers that he saw a Honda Accord pass him on the left. The Bremerton man reportedly lost control, hitting the middle concrete barrier, Francis said. The car crossed back into traffic and struck the tanker truck near the trailer’s rear axle. The trailer toppled over, crushing the Honda.
Crews worked to offload as much nitrogen as possible from the overturned trailer, transferring it to another tanker. They used air cushions to lift the trailer off of the Honda.
The freeway was reopened around 7:45 a.m.
The crash remains under investigation. Anyone who witnessed the collision or the events leading up to it are being asked to call Sgt. Jerry Cooper at 360-805-1192 or Detective Ed Collins at 360-805-1194.
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