A tanker carrying 8,000 gallons of gasoline catches fire following a crash on US-131 in Grand Rapids

US-131 in downtown Grand Rapids was closed on Saturday morning after a truck hauling gasoline crashed and caught fire, said the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT).The Grand Rapids Police Department says the vehicle that crashed is believed to be a semi-truck hauling a gasoline tank. The crash happened after 8 a.m. Saturday morning in the southbound lanes of US-131 just south of the I-196 overpass, according to MDOT. Emergency crews closed both directions of the expressway to combat the fire."There were two trucks involved, two semi trucks involved. Both were transported with non-life-threatening injuries to a local ER," Grand Rapids Fire Department Deputy Chief of Operations Jack Johnson said.WATCH: Video shows crews battle huge blaze on US-131Officials called for additional resources to fight the fire, including an airport truck that sprays foam. "We'd like to thank Allendale and Gerald R Ford International Airport crash fire rescue units for their assistance today. It's not normal that we have to call in for outside help, but it's nice to know that we have those resources available to us when we can," Johnson said," Johnson said.The cause of the crash is under investigation."There were 8,000 gallons of gasoline in the tanker that crashed up against the wall. It was on fire for quite a bit of time before we were able to get it under control utilizing our fluorine-free foam," Johnson said. Drivers are encouraged to find an alternate route around US-131 in downtown Grand Rapids. Northbound lanes are closed at Pearl Street. Southbound US-131 is closed at Leonard.The extent of lane closures is unclear. We have reached out to MDOT for a comment and are currently waiting for a response on this issue. "MDOT is going to be out here, probably in the next few days, inspecting that, to see how it's safe. There will be some lane closures out here that our travelers can expect," Johnson said. The Grand Rapids Police Department said crews will have to evaluate whether the road structure is safe for use before reopening the freeway.VIDEO: Gasoline tanker fire rages on US-131It is not clear how long it will take to clear the debris and inspect the freeway.Follow FOX 17: Facebook - Twitter - Instagram - YouTube