November 25, 2007
North Dakota
North Dakota
CASSELTON – A wind tower column from DMI Industries in West Fargo that was being hauled on a semitrailer flatbed clipped the underside of an Interstate 94 overpass just east of this city, damaging it.
No one was hurt, but traffic was disrupted while the mess was cleaned up and no travel was advised on the overpass, the Highway Patrol said.
The impact about 9:30 a.m. Saturday in the westbound lanes scattered chunks of concrete across the road, damaging at least nine vehicles. The damage ranged from flat tires to punctured radiators, authorities said.
Sherri Tatro of Park Rapids, Minn., said she was traveling with her family when she came upon the scene.
“I thought it was ice chunks on the highway,” she said. “But it was concrete, and I couldn’t avoid it with traffic in the other lanes. I hit it and blew out my front tire.”
State Transportation Department officials planned to assess the damage to the overpass, which the patrol said connects with a county road that is not heavily traveled.
The driver of the semitrailer was not cited. The patrol said the investigation was continuing.
A message left at the DMI Industries office seeking comment was not immediately returned Saturday.
Saturday’s incident was not the first accident involving a semitrailer carrying a DMI wind turbine tower. In March 2002, one hit the underside of the west and eastbound I-94 overpass as it was traveling on I-29 through Fargo.
Associated Press
24 November 2007
URL to article: https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2007/11/25/overpass-damage-near-casselton-caused-by-wind-tower/