VAN, TEXAS — A diesel tanker carrying approximately 7,000 gallons of fuel rolled onto its side on Highway 64 in Van Zandt County Sunday after striking a pickup truck near the exit of a convenience store, then struck a second vehicle before coming to rest partially in the eastbound lane and partially in a ditch — leaking fuel from multiple compartments and sending one person to the hospital by helicopter while community members feared for a young man identified by friends as Hunter.
The Van Fire Department responded to a mutual aid request for the crash, which occurred approximately a quarter mile west of FM 314. The westbound tanker struck the pickup near the convenience store exit and rolled. It then struck an eastbound car before stopping. One patient was trapped before being freed by first responders and bystanders. One person was airlifted to a hospital in serious condition. Two others were treated and released at the scene.
Leaking fuel created a significant hazard for victims and responders. Crews set up a helicopter landing zone and deployed foam fire streams to mitigate the spill. A hazmat team arrived and began offloading the remaining fuel from the tanker before it could be uprighted and removed. Highway 64 was closed in both directions for several hours during the crash response and cleanup.
Community members who knew those involved expressed fear and heartbreak online. A close friend of one of the victims wrote that his friend — identified by others as Hunter — had just dropped him off and was on his way home when the crash happened minutes later. The friend said Hunter was on life support as of Sunday night and that his family would provide updates when able.
A witness said they spotted the crash from a distance and immediately called 911. Another said they narrowly avoided the scene themselves. “To think I missed this by about a foot,” they wrote. “Definitely lucky I was able to swerve around it. This was scary to watch.”
Community accounts courtesy of eyewitnesses and friends.
📸 Image(s) used under fair use for news reporting.
