Woman injured in fiery accident with 18-wheeler on East Fwy in Houston

Jeff Ehling Image
Tuesday, December 15, 2015
Woman trapped in fiery crash on East Freeway
An 18-wheeler slammed into the back of a stalled vehicle on the East Freeway, injuring a woman when the car exploded in flames.

HOUSTON (KTRK) -- A woman was transported to the hospital with burns after her vehicle was struck by an 18-wheeler on the East Freeway and burst into flames.

The accident happened just after midnight on the East Freeway outbound near the Holland Exit Ramp in Houston.

The victim suffered third degree burns on her body, and the 18 wheeler driver had no idea the woman's car was stalled in the middle of the road when he ran into her.

The woman's car burst into flames, it was all caught on camera by a woman who was driving by the scene.

PHOTOS: Woman trapped in burning car on East Freeway

I-10 at Wayside was shut down for a couple of hours after the crash.

The disabled car did not have on any lights or emergency flashers.

Witnesses say if it was not fir the quick thinking of a wrecker driver and the driver of that 18 wheeler, the woman may have died.

"I seen the lady, she was struck in the middle of the road and the man...I guess he didn't see her and he just crashed into the back of her car. And then [the car] immediately got on fire and she got locked in there," says eyewitness Tia Barrientos. "One of the tow truck driver broke his finger trying to get her out and then he finally got her out and she had third degree burns all over her."

The woman was taken to a local hospital with severe burns. The 18 wheeler was not loaded, but the fire destroyed the big rig and the woman's car.