Police lights

By Jillian Pikora From Daily Voice

A deadly head-on collision involving an SUV and a tanker truck shut down a major stretch of Route 322 in Lebanon County on Friday evening, Nov. 21, according to PennDOT.

The crash was reported near South Mountain Lane in Cornwall Borough around 5:15 p.m., leading to an immediate shutdown of the highway between the Pennsylvania Route 72 interchange and Pennsylvania Route 501, officials said.

At least one person was killed at the scene, PennDOT spokesperson Fritzi Schreffler announced in an email sent at 6:33 p.m. The agency has not confirmed which vehicle the victim was in, and officials said additional injuries are still unconfirmed.

The tanker truck spilled 500 gallons of fuel, transforming the crash site into a hazardous materials incident, according to PennDOT. Multiple fire, EMS, and hazmat crews responded and remained on scene into the evening.

Both the eastbound and westbound lanes of Route 322 were closed, with 511PA listing the shutdown starting at 5:36 p.m. and lasting “at least until 10:30 p.m.” However, PennDOT later said there is no estimation as to when the roads will be reopened.

Motorists are urged to avoid the area.