White Plains, NY : Driver dies in I-86 tractor-trailer fire, crash on Monday morning, July 11, 2016

A tractor-trailer driver was killed Monday morning in a fiery crash on Interstate 86 in Chemung County, near the entrance to Newtown Battlefield State Park.

The westbound tractor-trailer crashed off the roadway in a wooded area. The truck caught fire and witnesses also reported hearing several explosions.

New York State Police in Horseheads confirmed the driver died. The name of the driver has not been released pending notification of family.

Police are investigating what happened.

"We're not sure of the cause. A witness saw him go off the road," said state police Investigator Chris Wilkinson. "He hit a culvert and went up into the woods. It might have been a medical problem, but we don't know that. We don't think it was a local (trucking company)."

The rig crashed behind the home of Charlie Juda of county Route 60. Juda immediately rushed down behind his house to see what happened.

"We just heard a loud noise. The next second, the flames were as high as the trees, 40 or 50 feet high already," Juda said. "I started to hear popping sounds. I called 911. I got down there and heard yelling. I thought it was coming from the truck. I yelled and my neighbor answered. He thought my house blew up."

That neighbor was Josh Harris, who also ran to the scene as soon as he heard the crash.

When he got there, Harris was confronted by an inferno.

"I heard a big crash, louder than normal highway traffic," Harris said. "I looked out my office window and saw a big fireball in the woods. I took off running and called 911. I tried to get close but the truck was completely on fire. I couldn't get within 10 yards of it."

The East Hill, Wellsburg, Chemung, Town & Country, Elmira city and Southport fire departments were called to the scene to extinguish the tractor-trailer blaze and resulting brush fire. Erway Ambulance and the state Department of Transportation also assisted at the scene.

Westbound traffic was diverted onto county Route 60 for a time Monday. The passing lane was reopened to traffic shortly before noon.

Source :
Driver dies in I-86 tractor-trailer fire, crash