One lane of I-35 near downtown Duluth closed

A Caterpillar Inc. earth scraper used for construction fell off the back of a flatbed truck that lost control while crossing over the freeway on Highway 53 about 10 a.m. Wednesday. The earthmover fell 40 feet onto the freeway, hitting the left guard rail and left driving lane on I-35. Both the guard rail and the road surface need repairs.

Officials said there was no concern about the overall integrity of the freeway. But motorists were asked to be aware of the long-term lane closure between the ore docks and 21st Avenue West, and to seek alternate routes into downtown Duluth from the west if necessary.

Four people were injured when the flatbed truck hit their vehicles. A 22-year-old man from one vehicle and a 39-year-old woman and two children around 2 and 3 years old from another vehicle were taken to St. Mary's Medical Center. The woman had to be extricated from her vehicle and placed on a backboard.

Assistant Fire Chief Mitch Peterson said it was lucky that no one was hurt worse and that the 33,600- pound earthmover just nicked the elevated portion of I-35.

"It could have landed right in the middle of it and dropped it," he said.