Several Injured In Commuter 'Nightmare' Morning On 422

LOWER POTTSGROVE, PA — A pair of accidents on Route 422 Tuesday morning created "nightmare" conditions for commuters, police said.

Both accidents occurred between the Armand Hammer Boulevard and Sanatoga interchanges in the Lower Pottsgrove area.

The first one happened at around 5:30 a.m. in the eastbound lanes near South Park Road.

A semitruck lost control and left the roadway near the overpass, smacking into the overpass itself before veering off into a creek and some trees, according to police.

The force of the accident cause the fuel tanks in the truck to rupture, sending 75 gallons of diesel fuel into the ground.

The driver was taken to Pottstown Hospital with moderate injuries, with crews responding to the scene for both an environmental clean-up and to attempt to bring the rig back onto the road. Traffic was reduced to one lane until 11 a.m.

While crews were still responding to the first crash, the second incident occurred at around 9:57 a.m.

A flatbed commercial truck was stopped in traffic caused by the first accident in the middle of the Armand Hammer Boulevard entrance ramp onto the eastbound lanes, authorities said.

A Honda Civic crashed into the back of the stopped truck, causing "major" damage to the car. Both the driver and a child passenger were injured, and were taken to Pottstown Hospital for treatment.

Traffic was further delayed as the ramp was blocked while the accident was cleared.

Lower Pottsgrove police were assisted by Sanatoga and Ringing Hill fire companies, fire police, and PennDOT crews on the scene.