Semi-truck driver, police officers released from hospital after fiery crash near I-275 in Canton

Six police officers and a semi-truck driver have been released from a local hospital after a fiery crash involving a car and a semi-truck Wednesday afternoon at the intersection of Ford Road and Haggerty Road, near Interstate 275, in Canton. 

Investigators say an SUV was traveling southbound on Haggerty Road in the northbound lane at a high rate of speed when it collided with a semi-truck turning into the northbound lane off Ford Road, striking the fuel tank of the semi-truck, igniting a fire, and trapping passengers inside the SUV. 

Three occupants of the SUV are still hospitalized with serious injuries, police said.

"Our women and men at the Canton Police Department absolutely acted with bravery and courage to make sure that they rendered aid to the citizens that were involved in this, and making sure that everyone was as safe as they could be," said Canton Township Interim Police Chief Joseph Bialy on Wednesday.

The intersection was closed for several hours on Wednesday to allow crews to investigate and conduct environmental clean-up. The traffic signals were damaged by the heat of the fire and will be replaced, police said. 

An investigation is ongoing, and investigators will submit a final report to the Wayne County Prosecutor's Office to review charges. 

The Michigan Department of Transportation says it sees several crashes at the Ford/Haggerty intersection. The roadway will undergo a $65 million revamp. 

"Our plans for Ford Road are to eliminate left turns at the intersections like Haggerty and at Sheldon (Road), Lilly (Road)," said MDOT spokesperson Diane Cross. "What we're going to do is put in a boulevard where you'll have a median that will go through the center of each side, and then you will do turnarounds." 

MDOT says the project is still in its design phase.