It happened just after 5 p.m. when the truck overturned and spilled an unknown amount of fuel on the eastbound lanes of the Turnpike near mile-marker 337.
The view from Chopper 6 showed the fuel tanker on its side in a bed of foam as crews worked to contain the leak.
The crash brought the eastbound and westbound lanes of the highway to a complete halt.
Alexis, her husband Ray and their 13-year-old son of Media, Delaware County were among those stuck in the massive gridlock. The family was on their way to a basketball game in New Brunswick, New Jersey.
“They are having us U-turn, which is why every 10 or 15 seconds we see a car go by on the other side,” Alexis said.
Officials urged stranded motorists who needed assistance or fuel to dial *11 (star 11) from their cellphone and provide the dispatcher with their milepost location and vehicle description.
Crews had to remove barriers from the Turnpike to get the stranded drivers off the highway.
UPDATE for motorists trapped in the crash queue on I-276 East #PaTurnpike.
🔹U-turning is occurring at mile 333.6 so vehicles can exit at a gate.
🔹Barrier removed at mile 336-vehicles being u-turned.
🔹Vehicles beyond mile 336 will be u-turned once barrier U-turn traffic clear pic.twitter.com/aFMVgRsjFl— PA Turnpike Alerts (@PATurnpikeAlert) February 17, 2022
The westbound lanes of the highway reopened early Thursday morning.
The eastbound lanes remain closed.
Authorities tell Action News the driver of the truck was hospitalized as a precaution.
The cause of the crash remains under investigation.
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