A Friday night drive went spectacularly wrong (and then some) after a car collided with a fuel tanker on Interstate 471 southbound in Newport, Kentucky, sparking a massive fire and a series of explosions that had witnesses convinced they were watching a Michael Bay film unfold in real life.
The crash occurred around 10:10 p.m. near the Memorial Parkway exit. The fuel tanker overturned, its cargo ignited, and before long, emergency dispatch was fielding the kind of call that makes even seasoned first responders do a double-take. According to a local news station, a dispatcher stated: “A tractor-trailer transporting fuel… exploded right across the bridge in Kentucky.”
Because apparently, just a regular fender-bender wasn’t dramatic enough.
Multiple Explosions, Big Plumes, and a Heat You Could Feel
Witnesses on the scene described the kind of chaos you don’t easily forget. Jacob Adams, who watched from nearby, said he lost count of the booms.
“I heard an explosion. Some people say they heard five. I heard way more than that — big plumes of ash going straight up in the air,” he said.
Another bystander admitted they got close enough to physically feel the heat radiating from the blaze. (Spoiler: standing near an exploding fuel tanker is not recommended, no matter how good the content would look.)
Flames reportedly traveled through the highway’s drainage system all the way into the sewer below — because when a fuel tanker decides to go out, it goes out thoroughly. Fire officials, however, said no significant structural damage was reported from that underground adventure.
Three Hospitalized, Tanker Driver Released on Scene
Three people from the car were taken to the hospital. Two children, ages 6 and 12, were transported to Cincinnati Children’s Hospital with minor injuries, as was an adult woman who was also in the vehicle.
Thankfully, all injuries were described as minor. The 47-year-old tanker driver was treated at the scene and released, which, all things considered, is a remarkable outcome given what his evening looked like.
I-471 Shut Down in Both Directions
If you were planning to use I-471 Saturday morning, well, adjust your plans. All lanes remain closed as crews work to clean up the aftermath of what can only be described as a very bad Friday night for that stretch of highway. Northbound, the closure runs between Alexandra Pike/US-27 through Memorial Parkway. Southbound, drivers are blocked from Exit 5 (Newport/Bellevue) through Grand Avenue.
Inspectors are expected on-site on Saturday to assess structural damage to the road and surrounding infrastructure. Campbell County Emergency Management, state highway officials, and multiple agencies responded to the scene.
No word yet on what exactly caused the initial crash — but the car community is definitely waiting to hear more information before they pass judgment.