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Crime & Safety

UPDATE: More Information Released About Deadly Tanker Truck Fire

Westbound traffic is now being routed onto the exit ramp, across Highway 65 and immediately onto the entrance ramp at mile post 10.

UPDATE (5:28 p.m., Feb. 28, 2012): Wisconsin State Patrol today released the name of the driver killed in Monday's tanker truck crash and fire: Todd G. Richardson, 51, of Colfax.

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UPDATE (5:30 p.m., Feb. 27, 2012): A stretch of westbound I-94 at Exit 10 remains closed after a tanker truck fire this morning claimed the life of the driver. According to Wisconsin State Patrol, traffic is being directed onto the Exit 10 offramp, across Highway 65 and back onto the freeway onramp at mile post 10.

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According to a Wisconsin State Patrol press release, the truck was headed east when it left the road, crossed the median, crashed and caught fire in the westbound lanes.

The driver, from northwestern Wisconsin, had just left the Twin Cities area and was headed to central Wisconsin carrying for Kane Transport Inc. out of Sauk Centre, MN.

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The crash remains under investigation and the name of the driver is being withheld until notification of family.

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UPDATE (8:39 a.m., Feb. 27, 2012): According to the Wisconsin State Patrol, one person has died in today's tanker truck fire on Interstate 94. Wisconsin State Patrol issued the following statements in a press release:

I-94 REMAINS CLOSED AT THIS TIME DUE TO A TRAFFIC CRASH THAT OCCURRED THIS MORNING AT APPROXIMATELY 5:25 A.M.  A SEMI TANKER UNIT WAS TRAVELING EASTBOUND ON I-94 WHEN IT LEFT THE ROADWAY, CROSSED THE MEDIAN AND CAME TO REST IN THE WESTBOUND LANES OF I-94.  THE UNIT CAUGHT ON FIRE.  THERE IS ONE CONFIRMED FATALITY. TRAFFIC IS BEING REROUTED OFF THE INTERSTATE AT THE MILEPOST 10 EXIT RAMP WESTBOUND, THEN BACK DOWN THE ENTRANCE RAMP AT MILEPOST 10 WESTBOUND. THE CRASH REMAINS UNDER INVESTIGATION AND THE NAME OF THE DRIVER IS NOT BEING RELEASED AT THIS TIME, PENDING NOTIFICATION OF FAMILY.

Assisting Wisconsin State Patrol at the scene were deputies from St. Croix County Sheriff's Office, officers from Roberts Police Department, workers from the St. Croix Highway Department and first responders from Roberts Fire Department and St. Croix EMS.

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ORIGINAL POST (8:30 a.m., Feb. 27, 2012): Both directions of Interstate 94 were closed after a semi truck caught fire near mile post 10 in the westbound lanes at about 5:20 a.m. according to the Wisconsin State Patrol.

A detour has been routed onto Highway 65 for motorists traveling in both directions. 

There's no word yet whether anyone is hurt or when the roadway will be cleared.

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