Police to uphold closures through Friday commute

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) - Early Thursday evening, firefighters were putting out hot spots at the scene of a propane tanker explosion that occurred at the I-69 and I-465 interchange Thursday morning.

Northeast side commuters are encouraged to find an alternate route to work Friday morning. State police issued a plan to re-route traffic in the area. The plan is expected to be implemented all day Friday.

The plan is as follows:

Traffic northbound on I-465 will be restricted to that traffic which is going to continue north bound on I-69. I-465 westbound from I-69 will be closed.

Also, traffic eastbound on I-465 on the north side will be rerouted onto U.S. 31. There will be no east bound traffic allowed east of Allisonville Road on I-465. Traffic south bound on I-69 will be allowed to travel west bound onto I-465 or south bound on Binford Blvd.

According to INDOT officials motorists should expect the same traffic pattern during Friday morning’s commute as well as Friday evening. Click here for the latest traffic info.

(Read more related stories to the Tanker Explosion)

Man recalls rescuing truck driver

The propane trailer exploded under an I-465 overpass after it became separated from the truck pulling it.

Lonnie Hood, with the help of another man, pulled the truck driver, 73-year-old Ronald Tobias of Syracuse, Indiana to safety. He was taken to Methodist Hospital with injuries that are not life threatening.

Hood said, at the time, he didn't think about the fact that he was risking his life to save the truck driver.

"Not really that I could die. It did cross my mind that the truck was going to blow up in my face because it was on fire with diesel and everything. It was on fire pretty good. I was like, 'Is it going to blow up or is it not?' But when I saw (the truck driver), everything else went blank. It was like there he is, I’m not going to leave him, I’m going to get him and we’re going to get out of here. Instinct took over and that’s just what happened." (Read More)

Mother, son drive through tanker fire

A mother and son found themselves in the middle of the interstate tanker explosion Thursday morning. Beth Shreffler and Josh Wilson drove over the bridge as flames from the crash engulfed them.

"We just heard a loud boom. We felt a shake, heard a bunch of debris hit the car and were surrounded by flames. (It was) indescribable. You ever been baking a pizza and open the oven and feel that heat? It was like that times 10 for about 10 seconds," said Wilson. (Read More)

INDOT concerned about bridge damage

INDOT said the bridge over where the tanker exploded will remain closed until at least Friday evening.

Inspectors will remove small portions of the steel beams and send them off for testing. Until they get those results back, which could be Friday night or Saturday, the bridge will remain closed. (Read More)