Houston Traffic Update: Sulfuric Acid Tanker Fire on East Loop

Incident Overview

• 🚒 Houston Fire Department responded to a tanker truck fire on the East Loop southbound at the Gulf Freeway.
• ⚠️ Fortunately, the tanker carrying a chemical, possibly hydrochloric or sulfuric acid, did not catch fire, preventing a leak and posing no danger to the public.

Traffic and Road Closures

• 🚗 The tractor portion of the truck, likely the engine, caught fire and was isolated to the front of the vehicle.
• 🌉 For safety, the bridge over the Gulf Freeway was shut down, requiring eastbound loop traffic to detour southbound on the Gulf Freeway.
• ⏰ The incident occurred around 7 AM, and cleanup crews and engineers were on the scene, with an expected clearance time of two to three hours.

Public Advisory

• 🚫 Drivers are advised to avoid the eastbound East Loop for the next few hours.
• 🚦 North and southbound traffic on the Gulf Freeway and westbound on the loop were moving well.
• ✅ The driver of the truck was unharmed.
• 📈 TxDOT is evaluating the bridge for any potential damage from the fire.