Fiery Big Rig Crash Closes Interstate In Lewisville
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LEWISVILLE (CBSDFW.COM) - A fiery big rig crash forced officials to shut down both directions of Stemmons Freeway near the Vista Ridge Mall in Lewisville early Friday. The incident happened at about 3:15 a.m. near the highway's intersection with the Sam Rayburn Tollway.
Details of the crash are still under investigation, but the big rig was involved in some sort of collision with a pickup truck. Both vehicles went up in flames, and firefighters quickly asked for extra help in dealing with the situation.
The freeway was initially closed in both directions, as emergency crews battled to extinguish the fire. Officials then opened the southbound side back up to traffic later Friday morning, and now the northbound lanes of the interstate as well.
This crash took place along a lengthy stretch of Interstate-35E that is currently under construction. That project is designed to expand the highway from Denton County into Dallas County. Starting on Monday, big rigs and other commercial vehicles (like buses, delivery trucks and equipment trucks) will not be allowed to travel in the interstate's left lane.
The new restrictions are targeted at the area between Swisher Road in Lake Dallas and Interstate-635 in Dallas. Signs will put up to remind drivers about the change, and authorities plan to be looking for vehicles in violation of the rule. The restrictions will be lifted when the construction project is completed in mid-2017.
It is not known if such restrictions could have prevented the Friday morning big rig crash. Thankfully, there were no reports of any injuries.
