NEW STANTON / HEMPFIELD TOWNSHIP, PENNSYLVANIA — A wrong-way driver crashed into a tractor-trailer on Interstate 70 early Tuesday, triggering a fuel spill and fire and shutting down lanes for hours between the New Stanton–Hunker and Madison exits, according to first responders and Pennsylvania State Police.

The crash happened shortly after 12:30 a.m. Tuesday near the Yukon exit (Exit 54), with responders reporting a multi-vehicle scene involving an SUV and three tractor-trailers. The New Stanton Volunteer Fire Department said the collision caused a fuel spill, which then ignited, leaving at least one truck burning.

The Fort Allen Volunteer Fire Company said crews arrived to find a semi-trailer fully engulfed in flames, and noted one of the trucks involved appeared to be hauling produce. Photos from the scene showed heavy debris and extensive damage across the roadway.

Pennsylvania State Police said there were no fatalities, but the SUV driver was transported to a nearby hospital for treatment. Dispatch reports indicated two people were taken to the hospital, though conditions were not immediately confirmed. Troopers from PSP’s Belle Vernon barracks are leading the investigation, and officials said additional information was expected during a 10 a.m. press conference.

Traffic impacts:

• Eastbound I-70 remained fully closed as of around 9:30 a.m., according to PennDOT.

• PennDOT said the closure was expected to shift to a single-lane restriction around noon to allow crews to repair the median barrier.

• Westbound restrictions were lifted, though backups were reported for miles earlier in the morning.

• Motorists were urged to avoid the area and use alternate routes as congestion built in both directions.

The cause of the wrong-way travel and the full circumstances leading up to the crash remain under investigation.

📸 Image(s) used under fair use for news reporting.