UPDATE: Fort Worth Police have identified the toxic substance found in the van as liquid methamphetamine. Ten buckets of the chemical, weighing a total of about 480 pounds, were removed from the vehicle by hazmat teams and turned over to Drug Enforcement Administration agents. Police say the meth had a street value of up to $3 million. Fort Worth police are investigating a deadly crash in which a large amount of an unknown chemical was discovered inside a vehicle, authorities said.
The incident began shortly before 11:30 a.m. on Thursday when a black van struck a parked car in the 1900 block of Delga Street near the North Freeway frontage road. The van continued a short distance before stopping, police said.
One man was pronounced dead inside the van. Firefighters treated the driver, but he died on the scene while waiting to be transported to a hospital, authorities said.
During the investigation, Fort Worth firefighters found the unknown chemical in the vehicle. One firefighter was exposed and taken to a hospital for treatment, police said.
The scene was secured, and no shelter-in-place order was issued. Officials said there is no ongoing threat to the public.
Police spokesperson Buddy Calzada said investigators are still trying to determine how the victims died. A large amount of an unknown chemical was found inside the van.
Police are continuing to investigate the circumstances surrounding the crash and the chemical, authorities said.