HOUSTON — An 18-wheeler tanker truck hauling about 9,000 gallons of fuel caught fire early Thursday on I-45 Gulf Freeway southbound near Bay Area Boulevard, shutting down all main lanes during the height of the morning commute, officials said.
The first reports of the incident came in around 2:25 a.m., and authorities say the tanker caught fire around 3 a.m., prompting a large emergency response. Traffic was forced off at the Bay Area exit, with drivers diverted through the Baybrook Mall area until the feeder road reopened just before 5 a.m., causing major backups across Houston’s south side.
Viewer video from the scene shows the intensity of the flames as the tanker burned on the freeway…