What to Know
- Authorities have identified the driver killed in a dramatic tractor-trailer explosion that took down a highway wall in New Jersey earlier this week -- and they're sharing more details on the circumstances of the crash.
- According to investigators, Luis Santiago, of Linden, was the man behind the wheel of the commercial truck that clipped an NJ Transit bus on Route 3 East in Clifton and then crashed into a barrier, causing the vehicle to catch fire.
- There were 29 passengers on the NJ Transit bus at the time. None were hurt.
Authorities have identified the driver killed in a dramatic tractor-trailer explosion that took down a highway wall in New Jersey earlier this week -- and they're sharing more details on the circumstances of the crash.
According to investigators, Luis Santiago, of Linden, was the man behind the wheel of the commercial truck that clipped an NJ Transit bus on Route 3 East in Clifton and then crashed into a barrier, causing the vehicle to catch fire.
There were 29 passengers on the NJ Transit bus at the time. None were hurt.
The trucking company said in a statement Tuesday that the truck was loaded with flammable and corrosive, non-toxic materials. The truck had placards on it that stated it was carrying an explosive chemical. Some of the materials inside did spill. When police officers responded, they witnessed additional explosions.
Cellphone video captured a jaw-dropping blast on the roadway, with a firefighter appearing to come within feet of a flaming barrel that was sent flying into the air.
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On Tuesday, authorities released video that shows the moment the chemical-hauling tractor-trailer exploded on Route 3 the prior morning. It happened just after 9 a.m. Monday in the eastbound lanes between East Valley Road and Grove Street and closed the roadway for more than 24 hours.
