A semi tractor trailer carrying 8,000 gallons of gasoline rolled over on the off ramp of northbound I-196 at the Pullman/109th Avenue exit Monday afternoon and caught fire, according to the Allegan County Sheriff’s Office.
The driver, Michael Bennett, 45, from the Benton Harbor area, was found next to the cab of the semi. Three passersby helped Bennett from the area before the semi caught fire. He was taken to a hospital for treatment of minor injuries. The Good Samaritans were identified as Jeff Hunter, from Gaylord; Chad Edgington, from Illinois; and Shawn Crittendon, who was enroute to the Chicago area.
The semi burned for several hours, allowing the gasoline to burn off to limit its release into the environment. Allegan Emergency Management and the MDEQ are working on a clean up plan. Work is still being done in the area and as of late afternoon the exit ramp was still closed.The semi was owned by PAC Trucking of Kankakee, IL.
The crash remains under investigation, but speed is believed to be a factor. The ramp has a posted 25 mph cautionary speed limit and is a challenging exit structure, deputies said. The sheriff’s office was assisted at the scene by the South Haven Area Emergency Services, AMR Ambulance and Michigan State Police.
