Overview
- At approximately 5:30 a.m. on June 30, a westbound tractor-trailer struck a guardrail, causing its wind turbine blade to detach and slide across the median.
- An eastbound truck clipped the dislodged blade, prompting the closure of all westbound lanes and two eastbound lanes on I-70 near Hagerstown for over two hours.
- Maryland State Police troopers, SHA commercial vehicle enforcement teams, heavy tow crews and highway workers cut through the guardrail and removed the blade, reopening all lanes by about 8:15 a.m.
- One response crew worker received treatment for non-life-threatening injuries and was released after the roadway was cleared.
- Maryland State Police continue to investigate whether mechanical issues or procedural lapses in the transport of oversized turbine components led to the detachment.