A tanker truck carrying a flammable liquid overturned and caught fire on a Maryland highway Saturday, killing the driver and damaging several homes and vehicles, authorities said.
The truck rolled over around noon on US Highway 15 in Frederick, about an hour’s drive west of Baltimore. The photographs showed a huge fire and a cloud of smoke.
Firefighters arrived within minutes after receiving several emergency calls but found the truck engulfed in fire, which spread to three homes and cars, Frederick Fire Chief Tom Coe said at a news conference.
An affected house suffered severe damage and residents were evacuated. The other two homes had minor damage, she said. The driver of the truck, who was not identified at this time, died with no other victims reported, Coe added.
Authorities said they are investigating the exact chain of events that culminated in the incident. The authorities are also working to determine the substance transported, although Coe explained that it is believed to be an ordinary flammable liquid such as gasoline or diesel that does not represent any danger to the population.
Specialist teams will monitor air quality and isolate the area to remove the liquid that saturated the soil, he said.
Due to the road incident, federal highway 15, which crosses the city of about 80,000 inhabitants in both directions, was closed, according to the State Highway Administration.