This photo provided by the Wetzel County Action Group shows the mess that resulted from the collision of two large dump trucks Monday at the base of Brock Ridge.

On Monday morning between 9:30 and 10 a.m. two large dump trucks collided at the intersection of Brock Ridge and state Route 7, sending both drivers to Wetzel County Hospital. State Route 7 was closed for several hours as crews handled truck inspections and clean-up of hazardous sludge that covered the highway and front lawn of a nearby residence.

Deputy Eric Daugherty of the Wetzel County Sheriff’s Department recounted that a dump truck owned by Bridgeport Equipment and leased by Litman Excavating was traveling down Brock Ridge and failed to stop at the intersection. The truck then began to overturn as it collided with another dump truck from Megan Trucking traveling west on state Route 7.

The Megan Trucking dump truck was T-boned into the guardrail in the East-bound lane as sludge spilled over much of the highway, the trucks, and on the front lawn and personal cars of a residence. The driver of the Bridgeport Equipment truck sustained more severe injuries but out of precaution both drivers were sent by Wetzel County EMS ambulances to Wetzel County Hospital for care and observations.

State Route 7 was closed for several hours and did not reopen until thorough cleaning was finished in the late afternoon. Many emergency crews were called to the scene to handle various aspects of the situation. In addition to the Wetzel County Sheriff’s Department and Wetzel County EMS, the New Martinsville and Pine Grove Police Departments handled traffic control and the Wileyville Volunteer Fire Department offered aid at the site. BBU Environmental Services out of Lancaster, Ohio, took care of the cleanup while the PSC handled truck inspections. The Wetzel County Sheriff’s Department continues investigation of the exact cause of the accident.