A crash involving an 18-wheeler led to the closing of a portion of George Bush Turnpike early Wednesday morning.
The Irving Police Department issued a traffic alert just after 7 a.m. on March 13, advising residents that southbound President George Bush Turnpike at MacArthur was closed due to a collision involving a semi-truck and trailer. Images posted by the department show what appears to be the smoking remains of the vehicle.
Officials confirmed that the semi-truck caught fire during the accident and that the flames continued to burn past 8 a.m., according to NBC 5 DFW. A closer image of the crash revealed dislodged wheels and the orange glow of the fire inside the trailer.
The collision resulted in traffic delays for early morning commuters, with all southbound traffic being directed to exit at Royal Lane.
“[Texas Department of Public Safety] and clean-up crews could be out here for some time. We encourage people to avoid the area,” the Irving PD said in a social media post.
The exact circumstances surrounding the collision and the driver’s condition are currently unknown.
This collision is the most recent of several early morning crashes in the Dallas area. A high-speed police chase that began in Haltom City in the early morning hours of February 25 ended in a crash in Dallas, leaving several adolescents injured, as previously reported by The Dallas Express.
