One person was seriously injured after a crash involving a semi-truck fuel tanker, a pickup truck, and a car on September 13, 2026, on State Highway 64 near Van, Texas. According to the Van Fire Department, crews responded to the crash on Highway 64 about one-quarter mile west of FM 314.
Officials said the westbound tanker was carrying about 7,000 gallons of diesel fuel when it hit a pickup truck near the exit of a convenience store. The tanker then rolled onto its side and struck an eastbound car before coming to rest in the eastbound lanes and ditch.
One person was trapped in a vehicle and was freed by initial responders and bystanders. Officials said one person was flown to the hospital by Christus Flight for Life in serious condition. Two other people were treated and released at the scene. The tanker leaked fuel onto the roadway and ditch, creating a significant hazard. A hazmat team worked to offload fuel from the leaking tanker before the vehicle could be turned upright and removed.
The cause of the crash remains under investigation.
Fuel tanker crashes create dangers beyond the initial collision
A crash involving a commercial fuel tanker can become dangerous in several ways at once. There is the force of the collision itself. There is the risk of a rollover. There is the danger created by leaking fuel. There is also the emergency-response challenge of freeing trapped occupants, controlling traffic, containing the spill, and safely removing a damaged tanker from the roadway.
An 18-wheeler accident involving a tanker is not the same as an ordinary passenger-vehicle crash. A loaded tanker may carry thousands of gallons of fuel. If the tank is damaged, responders must address fire risk, roadway contamination, vapor hazards, environmental concerns, and the possibility that fuel may spread into ditches or nearby drainage areas.
Here, officials reported that the tanker was carrying about 7,000 gallons of diesel fuel and began leaking after the crash. That turned the scene into a hazardous materials response in addition to a serious injury crash.
Rollover risks involving tanker trucks
The tanker rolled onto its side after the initial impact with the pickup truck. A rollover accident involving a tanker truck can be especially serious because the vehicle’s size, weight, and liquid cargo can affect stability.
Tanker trucks may be affected by liquid surge. When liquid cargo moves inside the tank, the vehicle’s center of gravity and handling can change. Sudden steering, braking, impact, uneven pavement, shoulder drop-offs, or evasive maneuvers can increase rollover risk. After a rollover, the tank, valves, lines, fittings, and shell may be damaged, creating the possibility of a leak.
Investigators may examine the tanker’s speed, braking, lane position, cargo load, tank condition, roadway marks, impact points, and whether the vehicle was being operated safely for the conditions.
Diesel spills and hazardous material concerns
Diesel fuel can create major hazards after a crash. A spill can make the roadway slick, expose responders and motorists to fumes, increase fire risk, and contaminate soil or drainage areas. Even if diesel is less volatile than gasoline, a large spill from a damaged tanker still requires careful containment and cleanup.
A tanker crash involving a fuel release may be treated as a hazardous material accident because the cargo itself creates additional dangers after the collision. Responders may need to establish a safe perimeter, control ignition sources, divert traffic, offload remaining fuel, and prevent the spill from spreading.
The reported decision to bring in a hazmat team and offload fuel before upright removal underscores how dangerous these scenes can become. A damaged tanker should not simply be moved like an ordinary vehicle when thousands of gallons of fuel are involved.
The risk of fire and burn injuries
Officials did not report a fire in this crash. That is fortunate because tanker crashes can quickly become catastrophic if leaking fuel ignites. A spark, hot surface, damaged electrical system, friction, or another ignition source can create fire danger at the scene.
Fuel-related truck crashes can cause burn injuries if a fire or explosion occurs. Victims may also suffer smoke inhalation, respiratory injuries, eye irritation, and psychological trauma from being trapped near leaking fuel.
Even without ignition, a fuel spill can complicate rescue efforts. Responders must work quickly while also protecting themselves, the trapped person, bystanders, and other motorists from the hazards created by the leaking tanker.
Serious injuries after a tanker crash
One person was reportedly flown to the hospital in serious condition. A crash involving a tanker, pickup truck, and car can produce violent forces. Occupants may suffer head trauma, broken bones, crush trauma, internal injuries, spinal trauma, and other serious and catastrophic injuries.
Being trapped in a vehicle can also increase the risk of complications. A trapped occupant may have difficulty breathing, may be pinned by damaged vehicle structures, or may be exposed to leaking fuel, smoke, heat, or other hazards while waiting for rescue. Injuries such as internal bleeding can be life-threatening and may not be obvious immediately.
A seriously injured person may have a claim for emergency care, hospitalization, surgery, rehabilitation, lost wages, pain, impairment, and future medical care.
Investigating how the crash happened
The public facts do not yet explain why the tanker struck the pickup truck near the convenience store exit or why the tanker then rolled and hit the eastbound car. Those details matter. A careful investigation should examine the movements of each vehicle, visibility, speed, traffic conditions, roadway layout, driveway design, braking, and whether the tanker driver had enough time and space to avoid the collision.
Potential issues may include:
- Driver attention and lookout
- Speed for the roadway and traffic conditions
- Braking before impact
- Tanker stability and cargo surge
- Vehicle maintenance
- Roadway or driveway conditions
- Lighting and visibility
- Possible failure to yield or unsafe entry/exit movements
- Emergency response timing
- Hazmat containment and cleanup
A tanker truck crash can involve multiple responsible parties. The driver, motor carrier, tanker owner, maintenance provider, cargo company, loading company, or other entities may need to be reviewed depending on the facts.
Truck maintenance, inspections, and company safety practices
Commercial tanker trucks require careful maintenance and inspection. Tires, brakes, steering, suspension, lights, coupling equipment, tank components, valves, hoses, and cargo systems can all affect safety. A proper pre-trip inspection should identify obvious defects before the vehicle enters the roadway.
Maintenance issues may be especially important after a rollover or cargo spill. Investigators may review whether brakes functioned properly, whether tires were in safe condition, whether steering or suspension problems contributed, and whether the tanker’s cargo containment systems performed as they should have.
Trucking company liability may become an issue if unsafe practices contributed to the crash. That can include poor training, inadequate supervision, ignored maintenance problems, unsafe dispatch practices, or failure to follow federal safety requirements for transporting fuel.
Evidence that should be preserved
Important evidence after a tanker crash may include vehicle damage, roadway marks, spill patterns, emergency response records, hazmat records, fuel offloading records, driver statements, witness statements, maintenance records, inspection records, dash camera footage, and photographs of the crash scene.
Commercial trucks may contain black box data showing speed, braking, throttle position, hard braking events, engine data, and other information before impact. That data can be critical in determining whether the tanker driver slowed, swerved, braked, or reacted before the crash.
Surveillance footage may also be important because the crash occurred near a convenience store exit. Cameras from the store, nearby businesses, dash cameras, responding vehicles, or roadway systems may show vehicle movements before impact.
The official accident report may later identify contributing factors, vehicle positions, diagrams, witness information, and whether any citations were issued.
Legal issues after a fuel tanker crash
A serious tanker crash can create claims for injured motorists, passengers, and families. These cases often require a broader review than a typical car crash because commercial trucking operations involve motor carrier safety rules, cargo handling, maintenance obligations, driver qualification, hazmat response, and company supervision.
A truck accident lawyer can assist by preserving the tanker, obtaining electronic data, reviewing driver logs and company records, evaluating fuel spill response, identifying witnesses, and determining whether the injured person has a claim against the trucking company or another responsible party.
If the crash results in permanent injuries, the injured person may have a claim for economic damages and non-economic damages, including medical expenses, lost income, pain, impairment, disfigurement, and reduced quality of life.
Speak With an 18-Wheeler Accident Lawyer After a Tanker Crash
Spagnoletti Law Firm represents people and families affected by serious trucking accidents, tanker truck crashes, and other catastrophic events. When a fuel tanker crash causes serious injuries and a hazardous diesel spill, it is important to determine whether driver conduct, tanker stability, vehicle maintenance, cargo handling, company safety practices, or roadway conditions contributed to the crash.
An 18-wheeler accident lawyer can help preserve evidence, obtain black box data, review the accident report, evaluate trucking company records, identify responsible parties, and determine whether the injured person or family has a claim.
We offer a free consultation, and we handle trucking accident cases on a contingency fee basis, meaning there are no upfront attorney’s fees and we are paid only if we recover compensation for you.
If you or a loved one has been impacted by an 18-wheeler accident, call Spagnoletti Law Firm at 713-804-9306 or contact us online.