An 18-wheeler erupted in flames on northbound I-69 (Southwest Freeway) at Bellaire late Wednesday night, triggering a hazmat cleanup that shut down multiple lanes and turned the early-morning commute into a slow crawl. The blaze and spilled cargo left the right shoulder, the right lane and two center lanes blocked as emergency crews worked into Thursday morning.
Crash and cleanup
According to the Houston Chronicle, responders rushed to the scene after the truck caught fire Wednesday night, and TxDOT warned that several lanes were expected to stay closed for at least two hours while crews handled a hazardous-materials cleanup. A Harris County Sheriff's Office spokesperson told the paper that drivers were being urged to seek alternate routes as hazmat teams worked to clear the freeway.
Live traffic tracking
A Houston TranStar traffic map shows the incident active since 11:59 p.m. Wednesday and lists the affected areas as the right shoulder, right lane and two center lanes, with camera views and lane-status details available for drivers trying to navigate the mess. Houston TranStar remains the go-to spot for live lane information while crews stay on scene.
Not an outlier
Big-rig fires and hazmat spills have tangled I-69 before. Local traffic feeds recently captured a similar 18-wheeler wreck on the Eastex near Kelley Street earlier this month that also needed a hazmat response and forced lane closures. ABC13 reported on that earlier crash, underscoring how commercial truck incidents can freeze Houston freeways for hours at a time.
What drivers should know
Commuters headed into southwest Houston should brace for lingering delays and check local traffic feeds before hitting the road, since hazmat cleanups often stretch on for several hours. Authorities had not released any information about injuries or the truck's cargo as of the latest reports. This story will be updated when officials provide additional details.
