A truck driver is dead after crashing into a guard rail and catching fire along the Eastex Freeway early Friday morning in Humble.
All southbound main lanes of U.S. 59 remain closed as of 7:30 a.m. Friday as crews work to clean and repair the roadway. That could take at least two more hours, according to the Texas Department of Transportation
The crash happened in the southbound lanes of U.S. 59 near FM 1960 around 12:30 a.m., Humble Police Department Lt. Duke Caruthers told media on scene. Early on, Humble officers only received reports from passing drivers about an 18-wheeler on fire.
BREAKING NEWS UPDATES: Get your Houston breaking news alerts delivered to your inbox
“When we got here, the whole vehicle was engulfed in flames,” Caruthers said. “There was no one on scene who actually observed the accident.”
Officers and firefighters did not initially know whether the driver made it out in time. They eventually found the person dead inside the truck cab, Caruthers said.
RELATED: Fire engulfs equipment at new HEB construction off South Freeway
He said investigators believe the truck struck a guard rail on the exit ramp to FM 1960, causing the rig to flip on its side and ignite. Police did not know the identity of the driver nor the company that owns the truck.
The truck appeared to be carrying lawn mowers, Caruthers said.
It is unclear why the driver crashed
Jago Times "English Edition" Best Online Newspaper