MARCH 31, 2015
LANCASTER, TEXAS
All lanes of northbound I-35E in Lancaster are closed due to
an 18-wheeler fire.
Lt. Kelly Hooten with the Lancaster Police Department says a
truck was carrying tires and for some reason exploded and caught fire just
before 3 a.m. Tuesday near Parkerville Road.
Hooten says the Werner truck was burning and still moving
when the driver jumped out. The truck then collided with another 18-wheeler,
causing them both to hit the center median. The burning truck also hit cushion
barricades and slid across several lanes of traffic, dumping tires and diesel
fuel all over the highway.
The driver of that truck was alert and able to speak with
investigators, but he was taken to a local hospital with non-life threatening
injuries. The driver of the second truck was not injured.
Lt. Hooten says the truck fire is out, but I-35 will be
closed for several hours as crews clean up the mess. The service road reopened
just after 5 a.m.
TxDOT says one lane of I-35 is expected to reopen at 1 p.m.
It is unknown when the other lanes will open. Crews moved the burned truck off
the road and are still working to clean up the fuel and tires that spilled.
Alternate routes include Hampton, Polk and Houston School.
There is no word on what caused the fire. Calls to Werner
have not been returned
Source: http://www.wfaa.com