Published: October 27, 2009 10:02 pm      

Bridge briefly blocked after rock salt spill

ASHLAND — Commuters coming into Kentucky from Ohio found their path blocked at the Ohio River Tuesday morning as emergency officials responded to a reported hazardous material spill that was quickly identified as rock salt.

Ashland Fire Department Battalion Commander Bob McKeon said the spill was in the on ramp roughly 50 yards from the Ben Williamson Memorial Bridge, and appeared to have been approximately 8 to 10 inches deep with roughly 2 tons of salt believed to have been lost from the bed of a truck.

Following procedure, members of the Ashland department along with members of the Ironton Fire Department, Coal Grove Volunteer Fire Department and Lawrence County law enforcement officials closed the bridge to further traffic, analyzed the material and confirmed the spilled salt did not pose a threat to public safety.

The bridge was closed for an hour and 20 minutes before traffic was again allowed to cross the green span and Ohio highway department officials were contacted to dispatch a brush truck to remove the salt from the roadway.

Motorists who diverted through Ironton found traffic problems were compounded by an ongoing inspection of the Ironton-Russell Bridge that routed drivers into a single lane.