VERONA, VA (Rocktown Now) – Virginia State Police are investigating an accident on Interstate 81 near Verona that closed the interstate for several hours and sent the driver of a tractor trailer and passenger vehicle to the hospital.

The accident occurred around 4:30 p.m. Saturday afternoon, on the Middle River bridge at mile marker 227, just north of the Verona exit, where the truck’s cab fell into the water below after veering off the interstate. Emergency responders successfully extracted the driver from the cab, who was subsequently transported to the hospital with serious injuries.

The trailer overturned, blocking both lanes of traffic and igniting a fire, destroying the contents of the truck.

The Middle River bridge has been the site of several accidents over the years, including an accident in the 1990 involving a tanker truck carrying gasoline.  The driver in that crash was killed and the fire from the accident caused extensive damage to the bridge.