Hwy 37 in Vallejo reopens after fiery fatal crash

VALLEJO (KGO) -- North Bay traffic was snarled this morning after a fiery fatal crash between a tractor trailer and a truck in Vallejo. The accident happened about 6:40 a.m. on westbound Highway 37 at Highway 29, near I-80. It involved hazardous materials.

An Ace Hardware big-rig went flying off Highway 37, dropped about 50 feet onto a grassy area below and burst into flames. That's when some Good Samaritans got involved.

"Those two witnesses and an off-duty paramedic pulled over and grabbed a fire extinguisher that they had and went to the big-rig to see if they could assist the driver. They then found the driver upside down in his cab entangled in his seatbelt. They freed him from the cab," said CHP Ofc. Chris Parker.

The truck driver was taken to the hospital where he died of his injuries. Vallejo firefighters put the fire out and called in the hazmat team to figure out the environmental hazards from the items that burned. It appears the truck was carrying a large number of items, including plastic storage containers. It's believed there has been no contamination of nearby waterways.

The CHP shutdown Hwy 37 in both directions for hours. The resulting traffic jam stretched for miles on Hwy 37 and on Highway 29 and on over to nearby Interstate 80 where some folks didn't like the way law enforcement was rerouting traffic.

The CHP is asking witnesses of the accident to contact (707) 428-2100.

Get more Bay Area Traffic »

vallejo, highway 37, I-80, highway 29, bay area traffic, terry mcsweeney

• Comment Now
• Email
• Print
• Report a typo
•