FORT WORTH, Texas — A gas tanker caught fire early Sunday morning after a crash near a fuel station, the Fort Worth Fire Department said.
The incident occurred around 1 a.m. along Trinity Boulevard near Highway 360. A car wreck knocked down power lines onto the truck, which was carrying 9,000 gallons of fuel. The driver of the tanker was severely injured when the vehicle ignited.
Fort Worth Fire Department spokesperson Craig Trojacek said the driver was trying to prevent the gasoline from draining into the parking lot of the Valero gas station when the fire started. The tanker spun off the road near the station during the collision with another vehicle.
Crews used water, foam, and sand to battle the flames and contain the leaking fuel. The fire burned for several hours before being brought under control, with extensive cleanup efforts continuing afterward. No other injuries were reported.
The driver was transported to a local hospital with serious injuries, including burns. The cause of the crash remains under investigation, and the incident is being treated as a manslaughter and collision involving death case.
Authorities noted the truck came close to impacting the station’s pumps, with an apartment complex nearby, but the situation was contained without further escalation.
