An accident involving a semi trailer carrying a fire truck caused traffic to be reduced to one lane Thursday morning on U.S. Highway 24-40 northeast of Lawrence.

The accident occurred at 4:55 a.m. when the truck’s driver said he was headed south and swerved to avoid a person or animal walking along the road. He lost control of the vehicle and went into the east ditch striking multiple tress, Leavenworth County Undersheriff Ron Cranor said. The accident happened near County Road 27 and U.S. 24-40 about 10 miles northeast of Lawrence.

The driver, 58-year-old Paul C. Banister, of Osceola, Mo., was taken to Lawrence Memorial Hospital by ambulance.

The fire truck apparently was a decommissioned vehicle, according to an officer at the scene.

Kimberly Qualls of the Kansas Department of Transportation, said the road reopened to all traffic about 3 p.m.