Driver Hospitalized After Fuel Tanker Crash Next To Gas Station In Texas

A truck driver in Texas was hospitalized in critical condition after a fuel tanker carrying around 9,000 gallons of gasoline burst into flames following a crash that downed nearby power lines, officials said.

The Fort Worth Fire Department said it received multiple calls shortly after 1 a.m. on Sunday, April 5, reporting an accident involving a car and an 18-wheeler on the 13900 block of Trinity Boulevard. Crews arrived to find power lines knocked over and the truck, a fuel tanker carrying gasoline, on fire.

The truck driver was already “putting out specialized equipment” to prevent the gasoline from spreading to the adjacent gas station parking lot when fire crews arrived. But the downed power lines, which were live, ignited the gas around him. He was transported to a burn unit in critical condition.

The incident commander upgraded the call to a Level 2 HAZMAT incident, bringing more resources to the scene. City of Fort Worth environmental personnel were also called to the scene.

While fire crews sprayed water on the tanker to keep it cool, an ARFF truck from Dallas Fort Worth International Airport responded to the scene to spray foam. Sand trucks were also requested to build dams to control water runoff.

Fire officials say the truck is believed to have been carrying around 9,000 gallons of gas. The fire burned for several hours, and crews left the scene at around 7 a.m.