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Fire crews respond to the scene of a tractor-trailer rig fire on U.S. 24.
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Fire departments, Henry Co. Sheriff's Office respond to crash on U.S. 24

THE BLADE/Joe Bialorucki

Fire departments, Henry Co. Sheriff's Office respond to crash on U.S. 24

NAPOLEON — One man was killed and three people injured in a crash this morning in the westbound lane of U.S. 24.

The collision took place just after 11 a.m. near County Road 11, according to a Henry County Sheriff's Office report.

The crash happened when tractor-trailer rig driven by William G. Rawlings, 73, of Lyons, a sport-utility vehicle driven by Allan M. Gladieux, 41, of Archbold, and another tractor-trailer rig driven by Donald R. Beard, 56, of Muncie, Ind., were stopped, waiting in a line at a railroad crossing.

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As the train crossed in front of Mr. Rawlings’ truck, a third tractor-trailer rig driven by Djordie Mihajlo, 63, of Windsor, Ontario, Canada, approached and collided into the rear of Mr.Beard’s trailer, which in turn cause a chain-reaction collision with the SUV and trailer ahead.

Mr. Mihajlo’s trailer was set ablaze, with flames reaching the driver’s section and spreading to the truck ahead it.

Mr. Mihajlo was pronounced dead at the scene. The three other drivers, as well as female passenger Michele Gladieux, 43, were taken by ambulance to the hospital with minor injuries, authorities said. Information on their conditions was not available tonight.

Authorities closed the highway in both directions to tend the crash, Henry County Sheriff Michael D. Bodenbender said.

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“It was one of the worst accidents I’ve ever seen on U.S. 24,” he added.

Sheriff Bodenbender explained that it took hours to put the fire out. “Every time we would get it out, it would reignite,” he said, adding that crews were still cleaning the area around 7 p.m.

First Published July 20, 2015, 3:58 p.m.

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Fire crews respond to the scene of a tractor-trailer rig fire on U.S. 24.  (THE BLADE/Joe Bialorucki)  Buy Image
THE BLADE/Joe Bialorucki
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