Car clips back of 18-wheeler, causing crash and large explosion, forcing full closure of I-45: HPD

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) — According to TxDOT, the majority of southbound main lanes of I-45 North Freeway near Tidwell are open more than 20 hours after a tanker truck fire shut down all lanes overnight Sunday.

Crews at the scene confirmed that one lane is still closed.

Houston firefighters took about two hours to extinguish the fire. TxDOT said there will still be some cleanup to finish the frontage road.

A preliminary investigation led to officials to believe that a speeding car clipped the back end of the 18-wheeler on the entrance ramp, causing it to fishtail and crash before catching fire around 9:50 p.m.

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The driver of the truck was able to escape from the 18-wheeler by climbing out of the windshield and exclaimed that the vehicle could explode because it was carrying gasoline.

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

Harris County Constable Precinct 1 told Eyewitness News that witnesses pulled the car’s driver before deputies arrived and found him lying on the road. Officials said he was taken to the hospital, where his condition was critical.

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

Alternate routes drivers can take to get around the closure could be Shepherd or Airline Drive.