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South Carolina’s Department of Transportation (SCDOT) has announced that both directions of Interstate 20 in Aiken County have reopened following the demolition of an overpass bridge irreparably damaged during a fuel truck crash.
Early Saturday morning (June 14, 2025), Aiken County dispatch and emergency crews responded to the thoroughfare after an 18-wheeler carrying approximately 8,500 gallons of gasoline struck an overpass bridge on Old Vaucluse Road just north of Graniteville, S.C.
Per the S.C. Highway Patrol (SCHP), the truck – a 2019 International tractor-trailer gasoline tanker – was involved in a collision with a 2023 Dodge Charger at approximately 3:40 a.m. EDT. Both vehicles were occupied by a single driver – and both were traveling eastbound toward North Augusta, S.C. when the collision occurred.
SCHP is continuing to investigate the circumstances which led to the crash. As of this publication, no charges have been filed in connection with the incident.
The tractor-trailer strike – which sent a massive fireball into the sky – was so severe the bridge was damaged beyond repair, resulting in a complete demolition and removal of the structure, according to SCDOT.
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? UPDATE: I-20 Bridge Aiken County ?
— SCDOT (@SCDOTPress) June 14, 2025
The bridge is a total loss after today’s tanker crash & fire. Demolition is underway & crews will work overnight to clear the site. Repaving & guardrail work will follow to reopen I-20 as soon as possible.
Stay tuned for more updates. pic.twitter.com/dGmgx54n8O
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During the 24 hours immediately following the crash, contractors dismantled and removed the bridge structure. Once the roadway was clear, crews began to mill and repave the damaged sections of the roadway – while also working to replace damaged highway guardrails.
With the help from SCHP, the Aiken County Sheriff’s Office (ACSO) and the Graniteville Vaucluse-Warrenville (GVW) Volunteer Fire Department, crews collaborated to demolish the bridge, cleanup the debris, repave the damaged road and reopen the interstate – all within 36 hours of the impact, per SCDOT.
The performance drew praise from S.C. governor Henry McMaster, who hailed SCDOT’s “epically quick feat of engineering and leadership.”
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“I want to thank our crews, our contractors and our partners in law enforcement for working around the clock on this major emergency response effort,” SCDOT secretary Justin Powell said. “Thanks to their immediate mobilization and diligent work, we opened the interstate in a record amount of time.”
Not everyone was impressed, though.
“Why are people acting like they rebuilt the overpass instead of just dozing the broken parts off the road?” one response noted.
The bridge will be rebuilt over the next nine to twelve months, SCDOT officials confirmed. In the meantime, drivers in the area were urged to continue traveling with caution as crews worked to remove traffic control devices along the detour routes.
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR…
Erin Parrott is a Greenville, S.C. native who graduated from the University of South Carolina in 2025 with a bachelor degree in broadcast journalism. Got feedback or a tip for Erin? Email her here.
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1 comment
This absolutely has to be the fastest the SCDOT has EVER worked! Kudos to all involved!