Two people suffered only minor injuries during a two-vehicle collision and fire early this (Monday) morning near a bridge on interstate 80 in Cass County.

Semi’s collided on I-80 eastbound, at the East Nishnabotna River Bridge, Monday morning. (Ric Hanson photo)

According to the Cass County Sheriff’s Office, deputies and emergency crews responded to a report of a two-semi collision on I-80 eastbound just past the 60-mile marker (Highway 71) on-ramp to Interstate 80, at around 1:30-a.m.  Officials say a 2006 Sterling truck driven by 57-year old Roland A. Delezene, of Omaha, NE, was eastbound on I-80 when it struck the rear of a 2006 Freightliner, driven by Ali Rana Younis, of, Brampton, Ontario, Canada. The impact of the collision forced both semis nearly two-thirds of the way across the bridge before they came to rest in the outside lane.Younis and an unidentified passenger in the cab of his truck, were transported to the Cass County Memorial Hospital by Medivac Ambulance. Delezene was uninjured.

Approximately 300 gallons of fuel was spilled at the location of the accident and were later cleaned up by a private company. A small fire on the engine of Delezene’s vehicle had extinguished itself upon emergency crews’ arrival. Damage to Delezene’s truck is estimated at $50,000, while the damage to Younis’ truck is estimated at $5,000. The Sheriff’s Department says Delezene was cited for Following too Close. Atlantic Fire and Rescue remained on the scene for a little more than two and a-half hours.