Early Friday morning, traffic in Montgomery County came to an abrupt halt after a crash involving two 18-wheelers on the I-69 near FM 1485, as well as on the Eastex Freeway near the Grand Parkway. Both incidents resulted in critical injuries and significant disruption. FOX 26 Houston reports that one of the trucks in the I-69 collision was immobilized due to a transmission failure and was subsequently struck by an approaching semi. The driver had to be extricated by firefighters and remains in critical condition.
The second incident unfolded just before 12:30 a.m. when a stalled 18-wheeler was hit by another on the roadway heading South near Roman Forest Boulevard. According to information from KHOU 11, the freeway was partially closed until reopening around 9 a.m., although with one lane remained blocked while cleanup operations continued. The condition of the driver in the second rig also was marked as critical.
In the I-69 mishap, the impact led to the ignition of the second truck, which burst into flames when wreckers attempted to separate the damaged vehicles. The flames were promptly extinguished, averting further disaster. Authorities also noted that the initial disabled truck was transporting cartons of DEF Fluid utilized in diesel engines, while the second big rig was loaded with cardboard, adding to the complexity of the emergency response due to potential hazmat situations involved.
As a result of the Eastex Freeway collision, a hazmat spill prompted a considerable clean-up effort. KHOU 11's traffic expert Jennifer Reyna recommended that drivers use feeder roads or Loop 494 as alternate routes while the scene was being managed.
