September 20th, 2010 | 
Author: HOUSTON, TX – A semi tanker truck crashed Monday night, September 13, shutting down part of a busy highway in Harris County, Texas. The closures would last for hours around the truck accident site on the Gulf Freeway near the exit for Dixie Farm Road in Houston, TX. The accident area is in the far southeast section of the state, about 197 miles east of San Antonio, TX and about 217 miles west of Lafayette, Louisiana.
The loose wheel left the frontage road and crossed over the northbound lanes of the freeway. The large truck wheel hit the front section of the semi tanker truck and became stuck in the front axle.
On Monday night an unidentified truck driver was driving a semi tanker north on the Gulf Freeway, traveling through Harris County, TX. The tank of the semi truck was filled with waste water.
The truck accident occurred at about 9:00 p.m. Monday night when the semi tanker truck was hit by debris falling off a second semi truck. Three other vehicles were also reportedly hit by flying debris. The second 18 wheeler was traveling south on the Gulf Freeway’s frontage road when it began to break apart.
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According to authorities, as the semi tanker truck traveled north on the Gulf Freeway it was hit by a wheel that had come off the second semi transport truck in the area near the Dixie Farm Road Exit. The loose wheel left the frontage road and crossed over the northbound lanes of the freeway. The large truck wheel hit the front section of the semi tanker truck and became stuck in the front axle.
The tanker truck seized up and the driver was unable to control the 18 wheeler. The semi tanker pulled to the left and slammed into the concrete barrier wall running along the freeway median. The front cab section of the truck went up on the wall while the tanker section flipped over onto its side.
The force of the truck accident broke off one of the side fuel tanks on the semi truck. The loose tank rolled into the southbound lanes of the freeway and exploded into flames. Drivers scrambled to maneuver around the burning fuel tank and fortunately no other accidents occurred.
Houston Police and emergency services personnel rushed to the scene of the truck accident. Firefighters worked to extinguish the fire on the burning fuel tank while paramedics tended to the truck driver. The driver was treated and stabilized at the scene and then transported to nearby Memorial Hermann Southeast Hospital. He suffered serious injuries however they are considered non-life threatening. As of Monday night he was in stable condition.
No one else was injured in the truck accident however at least one other person was hurt when flying debris hit their vehicle.
Police shut down parts of both the north and southbound lanes of the Gulf Freeway while the various crews worked. Once the fuel tank fire was put out another team removed the burnt debris from the southbound traffic lanes. Another team worked in the northbound lanes to get the overturned tanker truck back on its wheels and off the freeway.
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All lanes on the Gulf Freeway were reopened by Tuesday morning, about 8 hours after the truck accident.
Authorities investigating the truck accident believe that it was set off by the second truck driving on the frontage road. They have not released the name of the driver or the company that owns the truck that was breaking apart.
No charges have been brought at this time and the truck accident remains under investigation.
For more information about Texas trucking laws, truck injury causes and victims rights, contact a nationwide truck accident attorney at Gordon, Elias & Seely, LLP for expert advice. For a free initial consultation, talk to a Houston truck accident lawyer at 800.773.6770.
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