Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez said the crash happened in the 400 block of SH-99 W. Grand Parkway South.
SkyEye video from above the scene shows a charred 18-wheeler on the roadway.
Shortly before 8 a.m. Gonzalez said on social media that the cleanup was expected to take around four hours.
It's unclear what led to the crash or if any injuries were reported.
ABC13 has real-time traffic data to help you navigate Houston's roads and avoid traffic delays.
Sign up for traffic alerts that are sent straight to your phone through our ABC13 app.
Manage your notifications from the My News tab.
On mobile, use two fingers to zoom in on specific roads.
Live traffic map