Scottsburg Bridge Accident, Sept. 19

Highway 38 at the Scottsburg Bridge near milepost 16 was closed most of Thursday, Sept. 18, following a traffic crash involving a commercial truck pulling a flatbed trailer loaded with lumber products. The truck and trailer was hanging over the bridge railing above the river and an estimated hundred gallons of diesel had leaked into the river. According to Lieutenant Steve Mitchell, preliminary information indicates at approximately 8:20 a.m., a 1994 Peterbilt truck pulling a flatbed semi-trailer loaded with lumber products driven by a 54-year old male was eastbound on Highway 38 near milepost 16. For an unconfirmed reason, as the truck was negotiating a left curve it struck the guardrail and went onto the bridge railing. The lumber products spilled off the trailer as it went over the railing. The truck and trailer were partially hanging off the bridge over the Umpqua River. The truck’s driver was taken by ambulance to Lower Umpqua Hospital with minor injuries. Oregon State Police (OSP), Douglas County Sheriff’s Office, ODOT, Scottsburg Fire Department, US Coast Guard and local emergency responders were working together at the scene. Oregon Emergency Response System (OERS) was notified and a HazMat team had been contacted to respond and handle the diesel spill. One lane of traffic was reopened by 3 p.m. ODOT dispatched a bridge inspector to the scene to check for damage. The highway was reopened to traffic in both lanes just before 8 p.m. Traffic updates being provided by ODOT and also posted by ODOT on Twitter and TripCheck.com.