Accident involving military cargo and hazardous materials leads to closure of I-40 in Monroe County

An accident reportedly involving three tractor-trailers occurred on Interstate 40 in Monroe County shortly after 5 p.m. Monday and has resulted in a 16-mile stretch of the interstate being closed between Biscoe and Brinkley.

According to the Arkansas Department of Transportation, the accident, which involved unknown hazardous materials, occurred less than three miles from Brinkley. Eastbound traffic was diverted to US 70 at Exit 202 near Biscoe, and westbound traffic was diverted to US 70 at Exit 216 near Brinkley.

ARDOT spokesman Dave Parker said the accident occurred around 5 p.m. in the eastbound lanes near Brinkley after smoke from a grass fire flooded the eastbound lanes and forced officials to close those lanes. Shortly afterward, Parker said, at least three semi-trucks collided when they struck stopped traffic, resulting in one fatality.

Parker said one of the semi-trailers was carrying military equipment and hazardous materials, prompting officials to evacuate everyone within a one-mile radius of the crash site. He said military officials familiar with the load were called in from either Louisiana Air Force Base or Little Rock to assist.

Arkansas State Police spokeswoman Cindy Murphy confirmed that three tractor-trailers were involved in the accident, but said no further information was available.

According to the iDrive Arkansas website, at 8:40 p.m., about three hours after the crash was reported, an eastbound traffic camera showed eastbound traffic backed up to the White River Bridge on Interstate 40 west of Biscoe. A westbound traffic camera at the Brinkley exit showed traffic there nearly at a standstill and being diverted off the interstate toward U.S. 70. Another eastbound traffic camera at the intersection of U.S. 70 and U.S. 49 in Brinkley showed eastbound traffic nearly at a standstill south of downtown Brinkley.

At 9 p.m. on Monday, Parker wrote in a text message that it was not yet known when traffic would be able to flow again, but that it would be at least “three to four hours,” but possibly significantly longer.