A Marshall County Sheriff’s Officer walks away from the scene of the crash with the driver of a tanker truck carrying liquid petroleum gas, 65-year-old Ennis R. Lester, of Amarillo, Texas. Behind them on the right is the wreckage of the two trucks. Police were able to secure the scene as traffic was detoured. Pilot Photos/Maggie Nixon

By Maggie Nixon Managing Editor
PLYMOUTH — Marshall County units and Plymouth - West Twp. Fire and EMS crews worked a two-semi crash at U.S. 31 near 13th Road Monday. Still Tuesday morning, both lanes of the highway were closed in each direction.
The accident occurred just before 1 p.m., when the driver of a 2007 Freightliner (carrying steel) was unable to stop in time to avoid hitting a 2007 International tanker carrying liquid petroleum gas on the highway, which had procedurally stopped at the railroad tracks.
The driver of the tanker, 65 year old Ennis R. Lester, of Amarillo, Texas, was uninjured; howeverr, crews worked for more than four hours to secure the scene due to potential spillage; while the driver of the Freightliner, 47-year-old William Merchant of Hopkins, Mich., was trapped inside his rig.
The impact of the crash caused a leak in the tanker making it difficult to extricate Merchant. Merchant was trapped in the vehicle until 5 p.m. before emergency workers were able to safely remove him and airlift him to Memorial Hospital in South Bend, where he was listed in fair condition late Monday night.
A witness at the scene, Oral Bowen, a truck driver from Bristol, Ind., said immediately following the crash, Merchant was able to wipe blood away from a cut on his face by himself and that his upper body was moving. While Bowen said the driver was moving, he was visibly shaken and unable to unlodge his legs from the wreckage.
“I just feel helpless,” Bowen said. “I tried to get out and help him get out of his truck, but they told me to get away because of the spill.”
While the drivers involved were removed from the scene around 5 p.m., investigating officer Duane Culp with the Marshall County Sheriff’s Office said that both lanes of the highway continue to be shut down “for an undetermined amount of time.”
All traffic on US 31 has been detoured and will be for some time. The Marshall County Sheriff’s Department said Monday night that southbound lanes will probably be closed for three days while northbound lanes will be opened sooner. Traffic on U.S. 31 between 13th and 14th Roads will be detoured. Traffic will travel on Michigan Road through Argos using S.R. 10 and 110.
The area of about half of a mile in all directions of the crash site were evacuated by members of the Marshall County Sheriff’s Reserves. The Sheriff’s Office said evacuees stayed with family and friends and no shelter was needed; however Culp said if people who live in the area need to seek shelter, they should contact the Plymouth Fire Department at 574-936-2156.
It’s possible residents who were out of their homes overnight could be out longer, depending on the air quality testing being completed by the EPA.
The Marshall County Sheriff’s Department and Plymouth Fire and EMS were assisted at the scene by the Indiana State Police, the Marshall County Sheriff’s Reserves, Argos Police and Fire, NIPSCO and the Indiana State Highway Department.