Crews rush to reopen I-20 in Aiken County after bridge collapse
GRANITEVILLE, S.C. (WRDW/WAGT) - Crews have demolished and removed the bridge structure damaged during a fiery tanker crash Saturday on Interstate 20 in Aiken County, according to the South Carolina Department of Transportation.
I-20 was closed for miles because of the collapse of the Old Vaucluse Road over.
Officials say the next phase of the process will include milling and repaving the damaged sections of I-20, as well as replacing the guardrails.
The bridge structure was removed less than 24 hours after a fuel truck crashed under the bridge early Saturday and erupted into flames on the interstate, bringing down the over.
Amazingly, injuries were only minor, but the bridge was a total loss.
A demolition team arrived on the scene shortly before 6 p.m. Saturday. The crew will be working around the clock.
Local asphalt plants are on standby because the pavement of I-20 is potentially damaged.
The main goal is to reopen the interstate and restore traffic between Augusta and Columbia, which officials hope to accomplish in the early part of the week.
Firefighters said the truck carrying 8,500 gallons of gasoline was traveling east when the crash happened around 4 a.m. Saturday, sending huge flames into the sky.
The Old Vaucluse Road over was already compromised after the crash, authorities said, but the fire was too much for it to handle, and it collapsed onto the interstate.
I-20 had to be shut down in both directions between Bettis Academy Road and Edgefield Highway.
Eastbound traffic is being detoured at Exit 6 to Interstate 520 westbound, where they will continue to U.S. 1, Exit 17. They will take a left on U.S. 1 to S.C. 118. Then they will go north on S.C. 19 until they reach the Exit 18 entrance ramp to eastbound I-20.
The westbound detour is the reverse of that route.
PHOTO GALLERY: AIKEN COUNTY BRIDGE COLLAPSE
Aiken County Sheriff Marty Sawyer warned drivers that they will be going from 70 mph down to 40 mph when they enter the detour, so they need to be mindful of first responders and local residents who may be on the side of the road. And the South Carolina Highway Patrol said it will be keeping an eye on the detour traffic, as well.
Allow extra time if you need to drive the route, authorities said.
‘’Plan ahead, pack your patience and make a little extra time if you are traveling between Augusta and Columbia,” said Justin Powell with the South Carolina Department of Transportation.
It will take months for the bridge to be rebuilt.
“Right now, we’re going to be working around the clock. Now that we’re working around the clock, be prepared for delays and other challenges that we go through once we get the bridge cleared out of the interstate. And when we get the interstate reopened, we will then turn our attention to rebuilding the bridge over the interstate of Old Vaucluse Road,” said Powell.
What’s next in the North Augusta case of missing woman?
As the search continues for a missing woman who wandered into the woods after a car crash, law enforcement is calling on the public’s help.
The full sequence of events in the accident remains under investigation, and authorities said they weren’t ready to discuss those details.
Two people were taken to a hospital for treatment of their injuries. The status of their injuries wasn’t known, but there were fortunately no deaths, authorities emphasized.
Charles Kneece, GVW Fire Department chief, said 35 personnel with nine fire departments battled the flames.
The GVW, Sage Mill, Center, Langley, Eureka, Trenton, Merriwether and Belvedere fire departments, as well as the South Carolina Highway Patrol, Aiken County Sheriff’s Office, Aiken County EMA, Aiken County EMS and Aiken County dispatch all assisted in this incident.
“We used roughly about 10,000 gallons of water to extinguish the fire,” said Kneece.
Officials say they are working as quickly and safely as possible to reopen the interstate.
The whole episode is reminiscent of what happened just over a month ago at I-20 and Columbia Highway in Aiken County. A tanker carrying a highly flammable liquid crashed under a bridge, and although no fire erupted, the chemical spill shut down I-20 for hours.
Copyright 2025 WRDW/WAGT. All rights reserved.
