A fuel tanker carrying 9,000 gallons of gasoline crashed into another vehicle, toppled power lines, and burst into flames outside Fort Worth, Texas, early on Sunday, according to local authorities.
The driver of the 18-wheeler was hospitalised with burns and was in critical condition, said Craig Trojacek, a Fort Worth Fire Department spokesperson. He added that the driver had been trying to prevent gasoline from draining into a nearby Valero petrol station parking lot when the fire ignited.
Firefighters used water and sand dams to contain the fuel runoff, with the operation taking about six hours to extinguish the blaze and clean up. Crews left the scene around 7am.
Videos of the incident show the front of the truck engulfed in flames with plumes of smoke rising. Witness Bailey Moss, who was staying nearby, described hearing a loud crash and seeing the fire spread quickly, with heat felt from a distance.
