A gas tanker semi exploded on Saturday morning near Selma, causing a massive fire that closed a portion of Highway 99.
The California Highway Patrol says there was a minor injury crash on the southbound lanes at Second Street involving a fuel tanker semi and a box truck.
Officials say that preliminary information indicates the crash happened during an unsafe lane change.
The box truck sustained major damage, and the fuel tanker became fully engulfed in flames.
The tank had approximately 8,600 gallons of fuel.
Both drivers involved are safe with minor injuries.
Caltrans says the impacted portion of the southbound lane is closed, and traffic is being detoured towards State Route 43 at the Floral Avenue Exit.
Officials say commuters should expect traffic for several hours.
Video posted on social media showed towering flames shooting skyward as black smoke billowed across the highway. Multiple firefighters and emergency personnel responded to the scene, with crews attempting to contain the massive blaze that engulfed the fuel tanker within minutes of the initial collision.
The crash sent shockwaves through the region’s already congested transportation corridor. Highway 99 near Selma is a critical artery for commercial traffic moving through Fresno County, and the closure immediately created backups for miles in both directions as emergency responders worked to secure the scene.
In the viral moment captured on social media, eyewitnesses documented the scale of the disaster as flames consumed the fuel tanker and heat waves radiated across the asphalt. The crash occurred on the southbound lanes at Second Street, a stretch of highway that carries thousands of vehicles daily. An unsafe lane change by one of the drivers initiated the collision that would prove catastrophic moments later. The fuel tanker, struck during that maneuver, lost control and ignited almost immediately upon impact with the box truck.
First responders on scene made clear early on that the safest approach was to establish perimeters and allow crews to monitor the blaze from a safe distance. The fire’s intensity and the nature of the cargo—8,600 gallons of gasoline—meant that immediate extinguishment efforts would have posed extreme risks to firefighters and emergency personnel alike.
As cleanup and investigation efforts continued Saturday, Caltrans workers prepared the roadway for eventual reopening while CHP officers documented evidence of the unsafe lane change that triggered the incident.
The impacted portion of the southbound lane remained closed, with traffic being detoured towards State Route 43 at the Floral Avenue Exit and commuters expected to encounter traffic for several hours.