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Oct 12, 2008 7:03 pm US/Central

Dallas Freeway Bridge Damaged By Tanker Fire

DALLAS (CBS 11 News) ―

Flames engulf a busy North Texas freeway, and a truck driver escapes with his life.  The wrecked tanker truck burned for much of Sunday afternoon, sending thick black smoke into the downtown Dallas sky. 

The accident happened around 4:30 Sunday off the C. F. Hawn Freeway near Bexar street just south of downtown. 

The fire burned for several hours.  Witnesses tell CBS 11 the driver took the curve too fast.  Engineers with TxDOT are looking at the bridge to make sure it doesn't collapse. 

Dallas Fire Rescue say the driver told them he blew a tire, the tanker flipped, causing the explosion.  The tanker was carrying 7-thousand gallons of unleaded gasoline.   

John Chiles and another man pulled the driver away from the crash.  "I have never seen anything like that in my life."

Firefighters put foam on the fire to smother it, then sprayed the bridge to keep it cool.  The crash happened on a part of the highway known locally as Dead Man's Curve. 

Witnesses can't believe the driver of the truck made it out alive.  John Chiles put it best "God was with him this was his day". 

The driver was taken to Baylor University Medical Center.  His name has not yet been released. 

Investigators say they were not sure who he worked for, or where he was going.

As for road closures, parts of highways 175 and 310 will be shut down until further notice.

(© MMVIII, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)

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