Strong winds blow over tractor-trailer on Alligator River Bridge

By Outer Banks Voice on February 16, 2016

Strong winds from severe thunderstorms crossing the region Tuesday morning caused an empty tractor-trailer to fall onto its side while crossing the Alligator River Bridge, and knocked down trees and limbs across the area.

The tractor-trailer was traveling westbound on U.S. 64 when it was hit by a wind gust of 77 mph at 10:06 a.m. measured by weather sensors on the bridge tender building at the draw span.

A severe thunderstorm warning had been issued by the National Weather Service just minutes before.

The driver was able to climb out of the window of the truck. The driver was not injured, Sheriff Darryl Liverman said in an e-mail.

Law enforcement officials on the scene reported that fuel was leaking from the truck onto the Lindsey Warren Bridge deck and into the Alligator River and the Coast Guard had been notified.

The bridge reopened to traffic around 3 p.m., according to the N.C. Department of Transportation.

A large tree limb crashed through the roof of a home in Manns Harbor and landed on a bed. Crystal Maqueda said no one was in her daughter’s room at the time, and no one was hurt.

Reports also came into the Dare Central Communications about the same time as the severe thunderstorm warning about limbs causing a power line to spark along Old School House Road in Wanchese, where fire units were dispatched as a precaution.

A tree was also reported down on a road in Kitty Hawk, but it was quickly cleared.

The National Weather Service also reported thunderstorm wind gusts between 10 and 10:15 a.m. of 70 mph at Oregon Inlet and 58 mph at Jennette’s Pier in Nags Head.

Heavy rain from the storms, coupled with the runoff from last week’s snow and high water levels being pushed up into the sounds by southerly winds had also caused flooding on several area roads on the Dare mainland and in Hyde and Tyrrell counties.