Fuel Tanker Explodes, Shuts Freeway

The westbound lanes of I-30 have reopened after a diesel tanker crashed and exploded before dawn Monday morning beneath the Big Town Boulevard bridge, setting a fire that burned for hours. The eastbound lanes remain closed.

The accident happened around 5:10 a.m., shortly after the driver put 7,500 gallons of diesel fuel into his tank, according to the Mesquite Fire Department.

The truck was headed eastbound on I-30 when it struck the Big Town Boulevard bridge and instantly burst into flames.

"We have no idea what caused it," said Captain Chad Rose of the Mesquite Fire Department.

Rose said the driver, though injured, was able to give emergency crews a few facts about the fuel in the truck.

"He was out of vehicle when they got there and they were able to transfer him to Parkland [Hospital]," he said.

A smear of burning fuel, at least 100 yards long, kept blazing brightly on the pavement more than an hour after the wreck.

Rose estimated the eastbound lanes would remained closed for the rest of the day while TxDOT examined the road surface for damage.

The Environmental Protection Agency is also investigating the scene because of the fuel spill.