Overturned Truck Carrying 48,000 Pounds of Powdered Sugar Blocks Traffic on 183rd Street

Westbound traffic on 183rd Street near Harlem Avenue remained blocked at 1:15 p.m. after a semitrailer carrying 48,000 pounds of powdered sugar rolled there around 7:30 a.m., police said.

The truck was finally uprighted around 1 p.m., said Cmdr. Steve Vaccaro, but he expected traffic to be blocked for another one or two hours.

"They've still go a lot of work to do out there," he said, during a phone interview.

The truck rolled onto its side at 7:34 a.m. while turning from northbound Harlem Avenue onto westbound 183rd Street, Vaccaro said. It took a little more than an hour to restore power to about 2,000 ComEd customers who had lost it at that time, when the driver knocked over a light pole.

"Basically, the truck hit a street light and it fell onto some of our overhead lines," said ComEd Spokeswoman Arlana Johnson said.

The accident cut off power to those residents until 8:51 a.m., she said.

Vaccaro said the accident was the driver's fault.

"He was going too fast for the load he was carrying," he said. "The load shifted, causing the trailer to roll."

The man was treated at the scene for minor injuries and refused medical transport, Vaccaro said.

He said the driver will be issued citations for improper load shift, failing to secure a load and driving too fast for conditions. He will also be cited for damage to village property after knocking over the street light, Vaccaro said.

Stick with Tinley Park Patch for more updates, which are coming soon.