Fatal Texas Truck Accident Ends In Fiery Crash On Highway 36

A Texas truck driver was killed in a fiery crash outside Temple after, according to investigators;, the driver was blinded by the setting sun on Highway 36. The driver collided with safety barriers before hitting a guardrail. The truck caught fire and the driver, 69-year-old Lee Meeks of Pampa, was unable to escape from the cab of the semi-truck; he died at the scene of the fatal truck accident.

The Texas truck accident closed Highway 36 for several hours as clean-up crews worked to clear the molasses that had spilled during the crash as well as any debris from the 18-wheeler. Investigators are still trying to determine whether there were other causes of the crash that may have contributed to the driver’s loss of control of the commercial vehicle.

There are many possible causes of a semi-truck bursting into a fire after a truck accident. Early investigation is important to determining what really went wrong and preserving evidence of the cause of a fire, which could include:

  • A faulty fuel line system that was punctured or compromised during a crash
  • A defectively designed fuel system that was placed in a crash space
  • Overheated brake systems
  • Tire maintenance issues, including overinflation or rubbing of dual tires
  • A faulty electrical system that arced or sparked, igniting a post-collision flame

The real problem with truck fires is that, as with the Pampa truck driver, they can cause serious injuries or death after an otherwise survivable crash. Investigators reported that the cab of the truck was badly burned and that the driver had likely experienced serious burn injuries after the crash.

Source: KWTX, “Truck Driver Killed In Crash And Raging Fire,” July 10, 2013