Car collided under a tractor-trailer on L 149

The 69-year-old driver of a tractor-trailer, loaded with chipboard panels, was driving on 13.03.2023 (Monday afternoon) at 3:47 p.m. on the L 149 from Wadern towards Buweiler. At the level of the turnoff to Oberlöstern, according to initial findings and several eyewitness reports, a strong gust of wind hit the trailer, which was blown to the left across the entire roadway. The trailer tipped over onto its side and blocked the entire road, while the tractor unit ended up partly on its wheels and partly in the air. In the green area on flooded ground, the larger part of the trailer came to rest in its final accident position. At that moment, a 61-year-old woman driving in the opposite direction swerved far to the right into the adjacent green area to avoid the sliding trailer. However, her car was completely covered by the trailer. The woman was still able to get out on her own and was taken to a hospital in Saarland with minor injuries. Diesel fuel leaked from the tractor-trailer's tank into the green area. The accident was recorded by officers from the Nordsaarland police station. Traffic is currently being diverted via Rathen and Oberlöstern. It is unclear how long the closure of the L 149 will last. A specialized company is currently working on the recovery of the tractor-trailer and the cargo. Officers from the Merzig traffic police, specially trained in heavy-duty traffic, assisted their colleagues from the Nordsaarland police station with the accident investigation. The hazardous materials unit of the Merzig-Wadern district fire department pumped the diesel fuel from the tractor-trailer's tank. Representatives from the State Office for Environmental and Occupational Safety are on site. After the trailer has been recovered, these representatives will decide what measures must be taken to eliminate environmental hazards. The road maintenance department will then also assess whether traffic can be reopened or if further cleaning and repair work is necessary. An emergency doctor and two ambulance crews were also on site. It should be noted that weather warnings had been issued for this afternoon.