CROWLEY, LOUISIANA — An 18-wheeler overturned and caught fire on eastbound Interstate 10 near mile marker 79 in Acadia Parish Sunday afternoon, leaving the truck heavily damaged by fire and backing up traffic for miles — but the driver managed to kick out the windshield and escape before the flames took over, walking away with what witnesses described as little more than a scratch on his leg.
Louisiana State Police Troop I reported the crash on August 30 near the Crowley exit. Both eastbound lanes were completely blocked and traffic was diverted off I-10 at Exit 76 while emergency crews responded. The interstate has since reopened.
What Witnesses Saw
A witness at the scene said the truck appeared to suffer a blown steer tire before leaving the roadway and entering the median. The driver then appeared to steer back toward the road in an attempt to avoid going off the overpass. The truck flipped and caught fire rapidly. The witness said the driver kicked out the windshield to escape and walked away with what appeared to be only a minor injury to his leg. The account has not been officially confirmed by Louisiana State Police.
A retired driver who passed the scene going westbound noted that the right front trailer tires did not look good in photos from the scene, consistent with a tire failure account.
Other witnesses said traffic was backed up for miles in both directions with some stuck in the standstill for over an hour. One family said they had been right behind the truck when it crashed and a family member went to see if he could help, they were on scene for four hours. Another driver missed an event in Crowley entirely because of the backup. One person said they could see the smoke from where they sat in stopped traffic and said prayers for those involved.
The Response
Volunteer fire departments from across Acadia Parish responded to extinguish the blaze. Louisiana State Police, the Acadia Parish Sheriff’s Office, Crowley Police Department, and Crowley Mayor Chad Monceaux were all on scene managing traffic and securing the area. Crowley PD was positioned under the bridge and on the service road on the south side of I-10 keeping bystanders away from the scene.
Drone footage and photos from the scene showed the burned-out remains of the truck and visible damage to a concrete barrier along the interstate. The extent of any infrastructure damage was not immediately clear. The roadway has since been inspected and reopened.
The cause of the crash and the driver’s official condition have not been formally released by Louisiana State Police. The investigation is ongoing.
Community accounts courtesy of eyewitnesses.
📸 Image(s) used under fair use for news reporting.
