HOUSTON – Authorities are trying to determine what led to a fiery big-rig crash near downtown Houston early Monday that caused a big mess on I-10.
Authorities said a big-rig lost control and slammed into the freeway divider, scattering debris and fuel across the roadway around 3 a.m.
The crash initially shut down both lanes of I-10 near Taylor, but the westbound side reopened around 5 a.m. The inbound lanes were reopened around 7:30 a.m. and traffic returned to normal.
The impact threw the engine from the truck and into the middle of the freeway, and the fuel tank caught fire.
The cab, which ended up by the center highway divider, had two people inside.
Houston Fire Department Captain Chris Jouett said one person was sleeping, the other was driving and it’s amazing that they both survived.
"Very lucky, very lucky. The damage is very catastrophic, but if you would have seen inside the cab, there wasn’t any room to move in there," said Jouett.
Both were transported to the hospital in stable condition.
The cause of the accident is under investigation, but authorities said it could be weather-related due to the early-morning showers.
