Traffic misery on the E17 motorway
Two accidents on the E17 motorway in East Flanders caused long tailbacks on Monday morning. The first accident on the Ghent-bound carriageway at Lokeren led to the motorway being closed there for several hours. Meanwhile, a few kilometres to west in Beervelde the motorway has been closed all morning while the emergency services remove the wreckage of several vehicles that were involved in an accident earlier this morning.
Luc Haenebalcke of the Centre Fire Service told VRT News that that removing the wreckage of the vehicles is proving difficult as the lorry involved in the accident was loaded with vegetable fatty acids. “When the tanker turned over it sprung a small leak. Once the road surface has been cleansed the E17 can be opened again”.
Two motorists received non-life-threatening injuries in the accident at Beervelde.
Roadworks got underway today in the area where the accidents happened. The lanes on the motorway have been narrowed around the roadworks.
The accidents have caused long traffic jams that could persist for some time yet. The Flemish Traffic Centre advises motorists to avoid the area. Long distance traffic is being diverted.