Two Drivers Killed in Fiery 18 Wheeler Crash at Houston, TX Toll Plaza

October 28th, 2011 |

HOUSTON, TX – A fiery 18 wheeler accident on Friday, October 14, 2011 has claimed the lives of two people at a toll plaza on the Sam Houston Tollway in Houston, TX.

Charred wreckage is all that remains of a fiery 18 wheeler accident at a toll plaza on the Sam Houston Tollway in Houston, TX on October 14, 2011 where two people were killed.

Houston is located in Harris County, Texas in the southeastern part of the state, about 51 miles northwest of Galveston and about 241 miles southeast of Dallas.

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The wreck occurred at around 2:45 a.m. on the northwest loop of the Sam Houston Tollway at the toll plaza just east of Antoine Dr. when a semi truck traveling westbound hit a concrete barrier, went airborne and landed on a passenger car whose driver was paying a toll at the time.

Map showing location of a fiery semi truck accident on October 14, 2011 at the toll plaza just east of Antoine Dr. on the westbound lanes of the Sam Houston Tollway in Houston, TX.

The tractor-trailer was owned by the PENSKE® truck rental company and the driver of the big rig may not have been paying attention and did not slow down when it approached the toll plaza.

When the semi truck landed on top of the car it caused a huge explosion and burst into flames upon impact. Security cameras at the toll plaza recorded the explosion.

Both the driver of the semi truck and the driver of the passenger car were killed in the accident. Both vehicles and the toll plaza itself were engulfed in flames.

The accident caused several lanes of the tollway to be shut down while accident investigators and cleanup crews worked the scene of the accident. Houston TranStar waived toll fees for awhile. All westbound traffic was being routed through three EZ tag lanes plus the frontage road.

Officials are not sure exactly what caused the accident. The fire was so intense and caused so much destruction of the vehicles that authorities may never know what really happened. The incident is currently under investigation.

For more information about Texas trucking laws, truck injury causes and victims’ rights, contact truck accident lawyers Gordon, Elias & Seely, LLP for expert truck accident advice. Visit our Houston truck accident lawyer page for more information about Houston truck accidents. For a free initial consultation, call 1.800.773.6770.