Highway 290 inbound shut down following fatal crash

All inbound mainlanes of Highway 290 remain shut down due to a fiery crash involving an 18-wheeler.

The freeway is shut down at Barker Cypress, according to Houston TranStar.

Officials said the driver died in the crash, which was reported just after 1 a.m. Tuesday. A passenger was ejected from the 18-wheeler and was sent to the hospital in critical condition.

There was no early word as to what caused the incident. No other vehicles were involved.
A spokeswoman for the Texas Department of Transportation says the freeway will likely remain closed until about noon.

The Cy-Fair Volunteer Fire Department says the truck was carrying apples, but a hazmat team had to be called in because one of the truck's tanks ruptured and leaked diesel fuel onto the roadway.

Motorists are being detoured to the 290 frontage road at the Barker Cypress exit. Alternate routes are Fry Road, Highway 249, or Highway 99/Grand Parkway.