The driver of a big-rig tanker was killed in a fiery crash on Wednesday in San Leandro, California.
At around 4 a.m., the driver was headed northbound on I-880 at the Davis Street exit. He lost control of his rig, hit a concrete divider, and his truck burst into flames. East Bay Times reported that the truck driver was hauling refined oil.
Emergency crews rushed to the scene to extinguish the inferno.
A hazmat crew was called to the scene to replace dirt from the median as around 1,000 gallons of motor oil spilled during the crash.
The damage was extensive.
The big rig burned down to a heap of twisted metal.
The driver was not able to escape his vehicle in time and died in the fire.
Officials continue to investigate the incident. California Highway Patrol officer Sgt. Brian Samms explained, “Initially, it was hard because didn’t know what it was carrying. Any markings or placards ended up burning.”
He continued,
“There’s no indicators of another vehicle being involved yet. And there’s no indicators of brake application being applied before the collision. Often when this occurs it could be someone falling asleep or a medical issue.”
The crash stalled traffic all morning as officials shut down one lane of the highway and the Davis off-ramp. The lane was reopened by 8 a.m., but traffic backup was severe.
The identity of the victim has not been released, but he reportedly worked for an oil company in San Jose, California.