1 Dead After Fuel Tanker Crashes, Explodes on Florida Highway
Fire fighters extinguish fire on a fuel tanker among 11 trucks that burst into flames following an accident at Ogere on Lagos - Ibadan expressway on June 22, 2021. - Eleven trucks out of which six were tankers laden with fuel, gas and two cars were burnt in an explosion that left two dead at Ogere, Lagos-Ibadan expressway. The accident was said to have been caused by a tanker on high speed which ran into a stationery tanker and suddenly burst into flames that spread to other vehicles causing traffic gridlock in the busiest inter-state route in the country. PIUS UTOMI EKPEI / AFP / Photo by PIUS UTOMI EKPEI/AFP via Getty Images

A fuel tanker truck driver died after the vehicle he was driving fell off a ramp on Florida's Interstate 595 in Davie and exploded, officials stated.

According to Local10 News, Florida Highway Patrol said the driver of a large fuel tanker lost control of the vehicle, which caused the accident. The loss of control of the fuel tanker truck resulted in the vehicle's falling off of the ramp.

According to the Florida Highway Patrol and Davie Fire Rescue units, they responded to the crash scene near the Florida Turnpike at around 3:45 p.m., Sunday.

Investigators said the driver was heading westbound when he struck the concrete wall on the right shoulder and flipped over. Officials further noted that the truck went over the wall. During the initial investigation, officials found that the truck was loaded with 8,000 gallons of gasoline ignited by the accident that caused the explosion.

Florida Highway Patrol Lt. Yanko Reyes noted that the truck driver rolled over onto the vehicle's roof, but he was caught on fire at that time.

Accident and Explosion at Florida's I-595

Several videos were shared with 7News from individuals who captured dense black smoke and flames from the tanker truck. The thick plume of smoke could be seen even from miles away when drivers headed to the interstate.

Officials noted that the driver was a 53-year-old man and a resident of Homestead in Florida. The fuel tanker truck driver was pronounced dead at the scene.

Officials who responded at the scene noted that the overturned truck caused a fuel spill. The spill prompted troopers to shut down I-595 in both directions.

The shutdown affected the eastbound lanes of Davie Boulevard and the southbound entrance to I-595 from the Turnpike while response crews fought the flames and cleaned up the spill.

Firefighters who responded at the scene were able to extinguish the fire. Chief Robert Diferdinando of the Davie Fire Rescue Battalion noted that the firefighters helped prevent what could be a bigger tragedy in the area.

Fort Lauderdale Fire Rescue unit also responded in the blaze to assist. Diferdinando said there was a big concern initially, but luckily, a lot of the drivers in the area were able to avoid it.

Hazmat crews worked Sunday evening around smoldered debris and charred concrete, making sure that everything was safe while investigators were determining what led up to the explosion.

The eastbound and westbound ramps from I-595 to the Turnpike remained closed for several hours. After 10 p.m., crews could be seen in the area working to remove the charred truck from the scene. About an hour later, all lanes in the area were back open.

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Written by: Jess Smith

WATCH: Tanker Falls Off Highway Ramp, Causing Massive Fire After Crashing - From WPLG Local 10