2 men rescued after truck falls 100 feet off I-610 exit ramp before bursting into flames
HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- Two people are alive thanks to a fast response from METRO officers following a fiery crash at the I-610 intersection with the Eastex Freeway.
The truck involved in the accident fell about 100 feet from an exit ramp before it burst into flames.
"It's surprising they lived," Lt. R. Willkens said. "Thank God they did."
Officers at the METRO facility across the street could be heard over police radios asking for help after the crash.
"We need fire extinguishers bad out here at Kashmere... under the freeway," one Metro officer said. "One male possibly trapped inside."
Police say the driver was trying to exit at the I-610 loop onto the Eastex Freeway when somehow, his truck ended up going over the side of the exit ramp just before 11 p.m. Tuesday.
When the truck hit the ground, it caught fire. Moments later, METRO officers were on the scene.
They managed to get both victims out of the burning truck.
Officials say one of the victims is OK, but the other is in critical condition with severe burns.
HPD traffic investigators say both victims could have died if not for the quick thinking and actions of the officers who were at a METRO facility right across the street.
"They were able to assist the driver and the passenger out of the vehicle," Willkens said. "There were two adult males in their 20s that were inside the vehicle."
Investigators say they do not know what caused the truck to go over the railing.
