Gas tanker explosion: 18-wheeler catches fire after crash, causing explosion that closed oncoming lanes of I-45

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) — I-45 North near Tidwell won’t be open for a few hours after a tanker fire closed all lanes Sunday night, according to the Houston Police Department.

It took Houston firefighters about two hours to put out the fire. HPD said southbound lanes will be closed until at least 10 a.m. Sunday for road cleaning and repairs.

A preliminary investigation led authorities to believe a car traveling at a high speed struck the rear of the 18-wheeler on the entrance ramp, causing it to fishtail before catching fire around 9:50 p.m.

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The driver of the truck managed to escape the 18-wheeler by exiting the windshield and exclaimed that the vehicle might explode because it was carrying gasoline.

HPD said he suffered minor injuries and was taken to a hospital for treatment.

Harris County Precinct 1 told Eyewitness News that witnesses stopped the driver of the car before officers arrived and found him lying in the road. Authorities said he was taken to a hospital, where his condition was critical.

HPD said officials would have to wait for all the foam to absorb the gas spills and for the Texas Department of Transportation to repair the road due to fire damage to the concrete before they could reopen the road.

Alternative routes drivers can take to bypass the closure could be Shepherd or Airline Drive.

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