The trouble started at midnight when an 18-wheeler carrying an excavator hit the bridge, knocking the steel beam down.
After that, four other trailers hit the hanging steal beam, which sliced open their cabs and trailers.
The Houston Police Department shut down the freeway and TxDOT is on the scene.
"Right now, we've got two lanes closed. TxDOT has crews en route to cut the piece of steel off and check the structural integrity of the bridge," HPD Lt. Larry Crowson said. "We are hoping to have the freeway totally open for rush hour. However, that depends on how much damage we have to the freeway."
This is the seventh time the bridge has been hit in the last year, it is the lowest point on I-10.
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