A tanker truck transporting gasoline in Texas burst into flames early Sunday after a collision with another vehicle led to the toppling of power lines, according to Fort Worth authorities. The truck’s driver was left in critical condition following the incident.
The 18-wheeler, loaded with 9,000 gallons of gasoline, veered off the road and ended up near a gas station, where it began leaking fuel. The situation escalated when the fallen power lines ignited a fire around 1 a.m., as reported by Fort Worth Fire Department spokesperson Craig Trojacek.
“The driver of the 18-wheeler was doing everything possible to prevent the gasoline from spilling into the Valero gas station parking lot when the fire ignited,” Trojacek explained.
The driver was subsequently hospitalized with burn injuries, but fortunately, no other injuries were reported, Trojacek added.
Firefighters worked for several hours to manage the situation by dousing the tanker with water and using sand to contain the leaking gasoline, according to Trojacek.
Fire crews spent hours spraying the tanker with water and used sand to try and contain the gasoline, he said.
Firefighters left the scene around 7 a.m.
Videos of the fire show what appears to be front of the truck engulfed in flames as plumes of smoke rise.
One witness, Bailey Moss, said he was staying with a friend nearby when he heard “a loud crash” and peered outside.
“The fire spread quickly, and you could feel the heat even from a distance. It was pretty intense,” Moss said.
