A tanker carrying diesel fuel smashed into the parking lot of a New Orleans gas station and burst into flames early Friday morning killing one person.
According to local television station WWLTV, the 911 call reporting the incident was received at about 3 a.m. and the fire continued to burn until after 5 a.m. Foam was used to extinguish the intense, hot fire. Fire officials did not immediately know how much fuel the wrecked truck was carrying.
An evacuation circle of about one half mile around the incident was initiated by responders, but was lifted by 6 a.m., according to the television station. Power to the area, including traffic lights, was out for hours because of the incident.
Firefighters were on the scene when the tanker exploded into flames. A New Orleans Fire Department spokesman said the driver of the tanker died as a result of the crash. The television station said a second person was taken to the hospital but there was no word on the patient’s condition.
At the height of the incident, three alarms were struck which summoned several fire crews to the scene.
Firehouse News will have more on the incident as it becomes available.
