FOX 21/27 – WFXR Roanoke/WWCW Lynchburg News, WeatherI-81 Crash Kills Driver, Blocks All Lanes in Botetourt

BOTETOURT COUNTY, VA --

11:10 p.m.

VDOT's 511Virginia.org shows all lanes north and southbound lanes open.

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2:14 p.m.

VDOT's 511Virginia.org shows traffic delays increasing on both sides.

Northbound traffic is now backed up 8 miles. Southbound traffic backed up 11 miles.

Detours still in place.

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1:05 p.m.

VDOT's 511Virginia.org shows the traffic delays on the northbound side are improving. It's down to 6.5 miles.

Southbound traffic back-ups are still at 10 miles.

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10:59 a.m.

State Police Sgt. Robert Carpentieri, of State Police's Salem Division, says the driver of the double-tractor trailer that crash has died.

Sgt. Carpentieri tells us he was 51-year-old Wayne Richie Kratzer, of Mifflintown, Pennsylvania.

HAZMAT team leaning up chemical spill. I-81 detours: Northbound at Exit 162; Southbound at Buchanan exit.

Traffic is backed up 8 miles on northbound side, and 10 miles on southbound side.

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7:16 a.m.

HAZMAT crews are working on cleaning the scene on Interstate 81 in Botetourt county where all lanes are closed.

State Police say a tractor trailer carrying a poisonous material, called thioglycol, hit a guardrail and overturned. Another tractor trailer then hit it. All north and southbound lanes are closed between mile marker 162 and 168. The driver was taken to Roanoke Memorial Hospital.

Traffic is being rerouted on Route 11 but there will be delays there as well as a tractor trailer is now off on its side on an embankment. One lane is closed and vehicles are alternating lanes to get by the 2-lane road.

WSLS has learned that Botetourt County made a reverse 911 call telling residents to go back into their homes.

Residents near the wreck can go back outside.

The driver was carrying between 16 and 22, 30-gallon barrels of the chemical.