Truck Crash Nearly Knocks Pillar Out Of Overpass
A truck accident in Parker County could have lead to a serious bridge collapse had it been worse. CBSDFW reported on the crash.
I-20 had to be closed in both directions this morning after a crash near Lakeshore Drive in Hudson Oaks. An 18-wheeler had crashed into a bridge pillar and caused “significant” damage to the structure. It is unknown if the driver was hurt or impaired at the time of the crash.
Police told residents to stay away from the area until they could clear the wreckage and the bridge inspected for safety. It is unknown whether the area has reopened yet, but initial estimates said they would clear it up by this afternoon.
Images show that one of the pillars holding up the overpass almost pushed out of place and cracked into several pieces.
Truck crashes on overpasses can cause a lot of damage, especially if it causes a large fire. Fire can crack the concrete and cause a collapse, like what happened on I-85 in Atlanta a few years ago. A tire fire underneath the bridge generated enough heat to cause an entire section to drop away. A similar incident happened with a truck in 2018 in Italy. 70 people were injured and two died in that incident.