An accident involving two tractor-trailer trucks on eastbound Interstate 84 early on the morning of Friday, November 7, resulted in the death of a Pennsylvania trucker and his pet dog.

The collision caused non-hazardous cargo spillage from both trucks, a six-hour closure of a section of I-84 for accident reconstruction by state police, and extensive travel delays on local secondary roads as morning-rush motorists took detours off I-84 to get around the accident scene.

Trucker Warren Leroy Jefferson, 49, of Bath, Penn, who was driving a 2015 Freightliner, died in the crash, according to state police.

Following an autopsy, the chief state medical examiner determined that the accidental death was caused by blunt impact injuries to Jefferson’s head, neck, torso, and extremities.

State police said that trucker John Krupskas, 65, of Dickson City, Penn, was driving a 2012 International in the center lane of three lanes at about 4:21 am and then stopped due to heavy traffic, after which the International was struck from behind by Jefferson driving the Freightliner.

Jefferson was pronounced dead at the scene, state police said.

Krupskas was transported by Danbury Ambulance to Danbury Hospital for treatment of minor injuries, state police said.

 State police spokesman Lieutenant J. Paul Vance said at 8:30 am that the tri-lane section eastbound of I-84 between the Exit 10 and Exit 11 interchanges likely would remain closed until about midday.

State police, however, were able to fully reopen the highway by about 10:15 am.

The two-truck collision occurred about 300 feet west of the eastbound Exit 11 off-ramp.

Besides state police, Sandy Hook Volunteer Fire & Rescue Company firefighters and Danbury Ambulance responded to the accident.

State police at Troop A in Southbury said that detour signs had been posted at many intersections on secondary roads in Newtown, directing motorists to the recommended diversions around the accident scene.

Newtown police positioned officers in strategic locations to monitor and control the increased traffic flow on local roads.

Sandy Hook Fire Chief Bill Halstead was incident commander for the fire company response.

It is unclear whether the International had stopped on the highway as a result of traffic backups that have been occurring in connection with the ongoing nighttime construction work underway at I-84’s Rochambeau Bridge, which lies about 2½ miles east of the accident scene.

Chief Halstead said that firefighters extricated the deceased trucker from the heavily damaged, flipped truck cab, which had separated from its chassis on impact.

Both trucks spilled some cargo in the accident, he said.

One vehicle spilled its cargo of bags of fibrous gray insulation, which is the substance used as “blown insulation” in attics. The other vehicle spilled paper goods. The debris field in the accident stretched for about 200 feet, he said.

Neither vehicle went off the highway in the crash, Chief Halstead said.

More than 20 Sandy Hook firefighters responded to the call, which lasted about two hours.

The accident investigation is an open case and state police ask anyone who witnessed the collision to contact them at  Troop A at 203-267-2200.

(This story was updated and expanded at 3 pm, 11/7/14)