WELLSVILLE — A trucker is confirmed dead as a result of a semi-truck crash on K-68 east of Ottawa early this morning. The trucker, Christopher William Cole age 44 of Troy, Alabama, was found in the truck shortly after 10:30 a.m., Franklin County Sheriff Jeff Richards said. The truck hit and went off the Turkey Creek bridge on K-68 east of the K-68 and K-33 intersection near the Miami County line, launched an approximately 100 pound chunk of the bridge nearly 100 yards from the bridge, the semi exploded and caught fire around 5:15 Friday morning. The truck was carrying a load of newsprint and copy machine paper which was fueling the fire and filling the creek valley with smoke, Richards said. Patches of heavy smoke covered K-33. The situation was complicated by an injury accident occurring on K-33 just north of the truck accident. However, the Kansas Dept. of Transportation said the accident areas were cleared and K-33 reopened. K-68 is expected to be reopened between K-33 and the roundabout north of Paola in Miami County later this afternoon, KDOT said. The burning truck fell into the creek at the base of a bridge support. Bridge inspectors have looked at the bridge and have found the bridge structurally sound, KDOT said.
Friday, March 25, 8 a.m.; updated 8:30 a.m.; updated noon; updated 3:30pm
