FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – A 53-year-old man was killed and a large fire broke out after a fuel tanker fell off a highway ramp on Sunday afternoon.
According to the Florida Highway Patrol, the driver of a large fuel tanker lost control of the vehicle, causing it to swerve to the right and hit the concrete wall on the right shoulder. The tanker then fell off of the ramp from I-595 westbound to the Turnpike southbound.
The FHP said the tanker landed on its roof and that about 8,000 gallons of gasoline ignited, causing the explosion. The driver couldn’t get out in time, and he was pronounced dead at the scene.
It‘s unclear why the driver lost control around 3:45 p.m. He was from Homestead, but his name has not been released.
All eastbound lanes of I-595 in the area of Davie Boulevard were closed, as was the southbound entrance ramp from the Florida Turnpike to I-595 for hours after the collision. All lanes have since reopened.