Fiery wreck involving tractor trailer shuts down I-10 in Downtown El Paso
Police closed I-10 in both directions in Downtown El Paso as crews work to safely remove a semi truck that went up in flames after the driver drove up an embankment, crashing into a utility bridge near I-10 and Mesa.
All westbound traffic is being forced off at Mesa, police said in a tweet. Traffic on I-10 East is being forced off at Downtown near the Prospect exit. TxDOT told ABC-7 that I-10 will remain closed in Downtown El Paso for at least 24 hours. Crews will have to inspect the utility bridge.
Police said they have a plan in place to have traffic heading west on I-10 exit at Mesa downtown. Police would then route that traffic through city streets in the area until it reaches the freeway west of the damaged utility bridge. Traffic heading east would be forced to exit the freeway right before downtown, then routed through the gateway until it is east of the damaged utility bridge. TxDOT urged drivers to find alternate paths to work Friday morning.
ABC-7 learned the truck involved in the wreck is owned and operated by White Mountain Trucking Company in Phoenix. A spokesman told ABC-7 the truck driver was reaching over for a bottle of water in the passenger seat when he hit a concrete barrier.
The driver was briefly hospitalized for minor injuries, but has been released, the spokesman said. “I’m glad he is okay and there is no one else involved. He was able to walk away from it. It was a miracle in and of itself,” the company spokesman told ABC-7. The truck driver was hauling a load of sand back to Phoenix.
According to federal records, the trucking company has been involved in one fatal wreck in the past two years.
A photo submitted by ABC-7 viewer Ashley Tucker shows the truck in flames.
The Texas Department of Transportation has confirmed the utility bridge damaged by the tractor trailer supports a water line, a telecommunication line, an electrical line and a gas line.
Texas Gas Services told ABC-7 the gas line in the utility bridge is no longer active.
El Paso Water has confirmed a crew is on the scene and has learned the line to be leaking. Crews are closing off the valves and cap both ends of the line to try and get the water to stop leaking. Service will not be interrupted, however customers north of Montana between Prospect and Campbell may expect low water pressure.
El Paso Electric told ABC-7 no customers have or should be affected by crash.
ABC-7 viewer Hugo Ruiz submitted the photo below:
ABC-7 producers David Burge and Brianna Chavez contributed to this article.
