Three drivers were charged and three people were hospitalized Friday after a tractor-trailer carrying coal overturned.

The truck spilled 40,000 pounds of coal off a bridge into lanes of Interstate 55-70 south/westbound, Illinois State Police said.

Madison Police were called at 6:43 p.m. and Illinois State Police also responded to the scene at Illinois 203 and I-55-70. The truck was hauling the coal to U.S. Steel in Granite City when it overturned on the exit ramp onto northbound Illinois 203. This exit ramp crosses over I-55-70. The truck's load fell into traffic on the interstate and caused five other vehicles to crash, according to Illinois State Police.

Two passengers and one driver were taken to area hospitals and received treatment for nonlife-threatening injuries, police said.

All drivers and passengers were wearing seat belts, police said.

The crashed caused I-55-70 to be closed for about four hours and caused westbound traffic to back up Friday night along Illinois 203 all the way to Illinois 111.

Michael A. Miles, 32, of St. Louis, the driver of a 2006 Mack truck, was charged with failure to reduce speed and losing load, according to an Illinois State Police report.

Police initially reported the truck was carrying coke, a coal byproduct used in the steel making process. On Saturday, a state police news release said the truck was hauling coal.

Gene A. Thurmond, 62, of East St. Louis, driving a 1999 Chevrolet Monte Carlo, and David R. Reisner II, 19, of Bartlett, driving a 2010 Chevrolet Camaro, each were charged with failure to reduce speed to avoid an accident.