The City of Meridian worked to contain a fuel leak from an 18-wheeler Monday morning on Insterstates 20/59 that temporarily diverted eastbound traffic through Meridian.

Around 7:30 a.m. a passenger vehicle and 18-wheeler collided, causing minor injuries to both drivers, according to Doug Stephens, the director of Public Safety for Meridian.

Stephens said that the collision caused the fuel tank of the 18-wheeler to rupture, leaving a large spill in the middle of the interstate bridge over Grand Avenue.

“The fuel has leaked through the cracks of the bridge and is being contained,” Stephens said, referring to the structural seams of the bridge.

Meridian firefighters worked to contain the spill underneath the bridge and soak up the fuel before it entered a nearby drain.

Stephens said a company from outside Meridian would clean up the spill and an agent from the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality would respond to the scene.

By 8:30 wreckers had arrived to remove the 18-wheeler and passenger car, clearing the roadway to allow drivers through at least one lane of the interstate.

Responding agencies included Meridian Fire Department, Lauderdale Emergency Management Agency, Mississippi Department of Transportation, Homeland Security, Meridian Police Department, Lauderdale County Sheriff’s Office, Mississippi Highway Patrol and Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality.