Interstate 295 reopened just before midnight Jan. 17, after Police and emergency personnel  removed the wrecked trailer from Interstate I-295 northbound at Exit 17 in Yarmouth.

Interstate 295 in the vicinity of Yarmouth has been closed since just after 9 a.m. this morning, Jan. 17, and will remain so until 9 p.m. tonight.

Aat approximately 9:05 a.m., Maine State Police responded to a two-vehicle crash at mile marker 17 northbound on I-295 in Yarmouth, said the Maine Dept. of Public Safety.

Initial investigation indicates a tractor trailer was traveling northbound in the travel lane when the driver hit a patch of snow, lost control, struck a jersey barrier, bounced off and struck the median jersey barrier, causing the trailer to detach from the tractor, blocking both lanes of traffic.

While this was occurring, the driver of a 2016 Honda Sonata was traveling northbound in the passing lane when the tractor, which became detached from the tractor, landed on the rear of her car causing both the car and tractor to flip around and come to rest facing the wrong direction of travel.

The driver of the car was able to self-extricate and she was transported to the hospital with minor injuries. The driver of the tractor trailer, Jerry Freeman of Lakeport, New Hampshire, was not injured. The tractor trailer is registered to Xpress Natural Gas, of Montrose, Pennsylvania, said the news release. The unit was hauling natural gas cylinders which will need to be off loaded.  Traffic is being diverted at Exit 17 in Yarmouth.

Due to unforeseen circumstances and the highly sensitive nature of the trucks hazardous load, the interstate will continue to be shut down for the foreseeable future. Reinforcements in the form of heavy recovery equipment is enroute to aid in the recovery.

“We are hoping to have the highway reopened by 9 p.m, but that is subject to change,” said the news release.

At 10 p.m., an update was released:  “State Police and emergency personnel continue to attempt to remove the wrecked trailer from Interstate I-295 northbound in Yarmouth. Progress is slowly being made. All involved parties have collaboratively crafted a plan to clear the wreck as quickly and safely as possible. They are cautiously optimistic I-295 will be opened by midnight but again that time is subject to change.”

Xpress natural gas LLC has engineers and employees on scene aiding in the recovery of the trailer.