Semi truck plunges off bridge onto building below, driver passes away during rescue
Texas police say that a truck driver did not survive after his vehicle fell off an overpass onto an industrial building this morning.
The crash happened around 8:25 a.m. in Houston, Texas, according to the Houston Chronicle.
#BREAKING 18-wheeler falls off 610 East Loop bridge near Galena Park: https://t.co/7KfeB5LBih #kprc2 #hounews
— KPRC 2 Houston (@KPRC2) July 3, 2019
Authorities say that a semi truck traveling on the Ship Channel Bridge over the northbound East 610 Loop crashed through the guardrail, resulting in the truck falling off of the overpass and landing upside down on the Huntsman International chemical manufacturing facility below.
It isn’t yet clear if there was anyone in the building.
Local news station KHOU 11 says that the truck fell more than 100 feet.
The truck driver reportedly passed away as rescuers struggled to free him from the wreckage of the truck. The identity of the truck driver has not yet been released.
The cause of the crash is under investigation, but police say that they believe that the truck was cut off by another vehicle. That driver reportedly started at the scene.
Major traffic backups have been reported.
At this time we are evaluating the situation on I-610 E. Loop NB at Ship Channel Bridge. The priority right now is to address the active crash scene. Please seek an alternate route. pic.twitter.com/nAYNJ6i7R6
— TxDOT- HOU District (@TxDOTHouston) July 3, 2019
This is a developing story.