TYE, TX – Interstate 20 westbound near mile marker 277 has reopened after an early morning crash involving an 18-wheeler fire and a firefighter being struck by a vehicle that bypassed a police barricade.
According to the Tye Fire Department, crews responded to the semi-truck fire at around 3:45 a.m. and found the vehicle fully engulfed in flames. Mutual aid was requested from the Merkel Volunteer Fire Department. During firefighting operations, a driver breached a police barricade and struck a Tye firefighter.
The injured firefighter was transported to a hospital for evaluation and was reported to have sustained minor injuries. Officials said the firefighter is expected to be released soon.
Tye police stated that the driver responsible for the crash was arrested. Authorities shut down the westbound lanes of I-20 at mile marker 277 as emergency crews worked to clear the scene. The interstate was partially reopened later in the morning, though officials urged drivers to use caution while traveling through the area.
The cause of the 18-wheeler fire remains under investigation.
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