NEW ORLEANS, La. — A dump truck went over the edge of elevated Interstate 10 near the Esplanade Avenue exit Thursday, Oct. 22, and came down on North Claiborne Avenue, the New Orleans Police Department said.
Police said the truck’s driver swerved to get around another crash on the overpass and ended up going over the side. The truck landed on a car parked at street level, but nobody was inside it. The driver and a passenger were taken to University Medical Center and were listed in stable condition.
Police officers, city EMS crews and firefighters from the New Orleans Fire Department all worked the scene. Eastbound Claiborne Avenue was shut at Columbus Street, and traffic on eastbound I-10 was squeezed into the left lane while crews cleared the wreck. Police asked drivers to steer around the area during the afternoon commute.
Mayor Helena Moreno called it a very serious crash and said she was grateful no one was killed. She thanked first responders, medical staff and cleanup crews for moving quickly.
The stretch of I-10 that runs above Claiborne Avenue through the Treme and Seventh Ward is one of the busiest pieces of interstate in the city, and closures there tend to back traffic up onto surrounding streets. Police had not released any further details about the first crash on the overpass, including whether anyone else was hurt in it or whether citations would be issued. Drivers who use the Esplanade exit on a regular basis should check conditions before heading out, since cleanup and inspection of the overpass and the street below can keep lanes narrowed after the wreckage is gone.
Section: More New Orleans LA crime news
Filed under: New Orleans LA Traffic News