Man dead in oil-truck accident | The Gonzales Cannon

Man dead in oil-truck accident | The Gonzales Cannon

The driver of an 18-wheeler carrying crude oil died Wednesday morning when his truck flipped on a rain-slicked section of U.S. Highway 90A at FM 2091 (Greenwood Hills Road) and burst into towering flames.
Officials were witholding the man’s identity pending notification of next of kin.
The accident took place at about 10:30 a.m. The truck, carrying crude oil, burst into flames, sending a towering plume of black smoke into the air which could be seen from as far away as Belmont and Luling.
Texas Department of Public Safety, Gonzales County Sheriff’s Dept., Gonzales County Rescue/EMS, Gonzales Fire Department, Belmont Volunteer Fire Department and Ottine Volunteer Fire Department were among those called to battle the inferno. Gonzales police closed 90A at U.S. Highway 183 to westbound traffic and Belmont authorities turned back 90A eastbound traffic.
Gonzales County Judge David Bird, interviewed by radio station KCTI 1450AM, said officials initially evacuated residents in a 2-mile radius of the scene of the accident because it was unclear what the tanker was carrying. Once it was determined that the tanker was carrying crude oil, the evacuation order was lifted.
Bird told KCTI that his office was asking people neeeding to get to FM2091 to do so via US183 north to Ottine. He also advised drivers to use caution on FM2091 because of the extrta traffic, including large truck and 18-wheelers that were being detoured and turned around near Southern Livestock.
Department of Public Safety troopers and emergency responders were continuing to work the accident scene at press time on Wednesday.