Amarillo, United States— Two tractor-trailers hit head-on at highway speed on October 29. The impact ripped both cabs apart. One truck carried produce. The other carried fuel. Both drivers were killed on impact. The freight corridor shut within minutes.
It happened on a straight stretch of US-287, a key north-south trucking route. State troopers said one truck crossed the center line for unknown reasons. No skid marks before the crossover. A witness driving behind called 911 and said, "One just drifted. No brake lights. Then fire."
The fuel truck leaked. Diesel spread across three lanes. Fire crews sprayed foam to stop ignition. The produce truck jackknifed and spilled crates across the median. The highway was closed both ways. Miles of commercial trucks lined up, engines idling.
Troopers set up detours onto county roads not built for heavy loads. Those roads jammed within an hour. Dispatchers warned companies to reroute through Oklahoma. The Department of Transportation estimated 12,000 trucks use that corridor daily. Today, zero moved through.
Investigators recovered electronic logging devices from both wrecks. The devices will show speed, braking, and hours of service. A state patrol sergeant said, "We need to know if fatigue was a factor. Or mechanical. The road was dry. Visibility was good."
Families were notified by afternoon. One driver was 34, based out of Kansas. The other was 52, from Texas. Both worked for mid-size carriers. Companies issued brief statements offering condolences and saying they were cooperating.
Tow crews faced a hard job. Two rotators were needed to separate the fused cabs. Hazmat teams pumped remaining fuel. A loader cleared produce. The smell of diesel and crushed vegetables hung in the air.
The National Transportation Safety Board said it was monitoring the case. Local officials said the road would not reopen until asphalt damaged by fuel was inspected. Cost of the closure runs into millions in delayed freight.
At dusk, wreckage still blocked the northbound lanes.
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