A gas tanker caught fire Saturday in Frederick, Maryland, after a fiery crash, causing three nearby homes to be engulfed in flames.
The tanker truck exploded around 12:40 p.m. ET on U.S. Route 15 near a residential area. The truck driver was killed during the explosion.
Emergency services immediately responded to the scene of the disaster. Both sides of the highway were closed.
Frederick County Fire Chief Tom Coe said the tanker truck was carrying "a flammable liquid" before becoming completely engulfed in flames.
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The fire reached three homes, one of which "received extensive damage" according to Coe. The family involved has been displaced and will be moved into temporary housing.
The other two houses only sustained minor damage. "The two adjoining properties received what I would call superficial damage from the heat. Things like melted siding and the such," Coe said.
No residents or firefighters were injured during the fire. The explosion also caused a large brush fire along the U.S. Route 15 corridor.
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Maryland officials confirmed that the hazardous materials were contained before reaching Carroll Creek, a nearby tributary.
Multiple agencies are involved with the cleanup, including the Department of the Environment and the Frederick County Division of Fire and Rescues Hazardous Materials Team.
"Now it's a process of cleaning [the flammable liquids] up, removing earth and the such that's contaminated," Coe said, emphasizing that the cleanup will "take some time."
Authorities are still investigating what type of material was in the truck. There is no criminal activity suspected at this time.
