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Fiery 18-Wheeler Crash Shuts Down North Texas Highway

Forney 18-Wheeler Crash
(credit: KTVT/KTXA)

FORNEY (CBSDFW.COM) - It's a Friday evening, rush hour traffic nightmare for drivers trying to get through Forney.

The eastbound side of the US 80 Bridge, just west of FM 460, had to be closed after an 18-wheeler crashed, overturned and caught fire.

Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) spokesman Tony Hartzel said the traffic situation is even worse because the area is so rural. "And there are no frontage roads in that area, so there are no options for travelers to go around in that immediate area," he said. "So what we're asking people to do is consider taking I-20 or I-30 as alternate routes."

The cab of the truck appeared to be on fire as Chopper 11 flew overhead. Officials with the Forney Police Department, from several surrounding cities, and the Dallas County Sheriff's Deputies all responded to the crash and subsequent traffic tie-up.

Hartzel said bridge inspectors have been called to the scene. "The truck overturned and caught fire just before FM 460 and it is on a bridge over one of the Trinity River relief routes, some of the water crossings for the Trinity."

Shortly after the crash a CareFlite medical helicopter transported a man to Parkland Medical Center. It isn't known if that man was the truck driver.

Officials gave no estimate on how long the highway would be closed.

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