
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: SUNDAY, April 14, 1991                   TAG: 9104140171
SECTION: VIRGINIA                    PAGE: D6   EDITION: STATE 
SOURCE: 
DATELINE: CHRISTIANSBURG                                LENGTH: Short

POSTAL TRUCK CRASHES; MAIL LATE

A wreck and fire involving a U.S. Postal Service truck outside Roanoke damaged and delayed mail destined for the Bristol Tennessee-Virginia post office.

The accident occurred about 2 a.m. Friday on Interstate 81.

William T. Evans Sr., acting Bristol postmaster, said the mail involved was returned to Roanoke. There, postal officials will inspect it and mark it delayed or damaged.

Evans said Southwest Virginians and northeast Tennesseeans expecting but not receiving important letters, checks, packages or other mail, including Express Mail, should wait until Monday to contact postal authorities.

The mail should be back in Bristol either Saturday or Monday and delivered Monday or Tuesday, Evans said.

The mail was headed from processing points in Roanoke, Richmond and Washington for far Southwest Virginia and northeastern Tennessee.

Evans said the unidentified driver told him a small truck rear-ended the mail tractor-trailer. The small truck caught on fire, with the fire spreading to the mail truck. - Associated Press

by CNB