State Police say all vehicles involved in the massive car pileup on Interstate 55 in Saint John the Baptist Parish on Monday have been removed and cleanup is underway. Sergeant Kate Stegall says the bridge had to be cleared before inspectors could assess the damage.
“That area where we know the tanker caught fire and several vehicles there’s a thick area of soot and debris and all of that had to be cleaned up before DOTD could go in to determine whether or not there’s any damage to the bridge.”
Authorities say eight people died, 63 people were injured, and 168 vehicles were involved in the crash.
DOTD will be using specialized equipment, such as ground penetrating radar as part of the inspection process. Stegall says reopening the roadway will be coordinated pending the results of the inspection.
“They called in certified specialists to make sure there was no damage to it or if there is any damage to it and if there is any damage to it that we have a good analysis of the extent of the damage so that it can be appropriately repaired if it is needed.”
Stegall says troopers are working to make sure all vehicles involved in the crash are accounted for. She urges anyone involved who wants to retrieve their vehicle or personal items to contact Troop B before going to the tow company.
“If you skip the process with us, you go to the tow company, and that tow company is calling us saying “hey we have so and so here with this vehicle. We want to ensure that you have this information as well. So, we kind of have a third-party check process in place.”
Drivers and owners of vehicles can contact Troop B by email at TroopB@la.gov. There is no timeline for the completion of the reopening of Interstate 55.
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