Update: Fiery Crash Closes Portions of Gandy Boulevard

Update Jan. 6, 4:25 p.m.: The Florida Department of Transportation has announced that both westbound lanes on Gandy Boulevard have reopened. Environmental work is expected to begin around 7 p.m. Tuesday. That work will require the closing of the inside lane. The closing could continue through Wednesday morning.

Earlier:

The intersection of Gandy and Roosevelt boulevards isn’t expected to reopen until sometime after noon on Tuesday following an early morning tanker truck crash.

The Florida Department of Transportation reports that once the scene is fully cleared, it will begin an assessment of roadway and bridge damage.

The accident happened around 12:36 a.m., according to the St. Petersburg Police Department, as a fully loaded tanker was heading west on Gandy. That truck struck a work truck from Preferred Materials Inc. that was heading south on Roosevelt, police say.

The crash resulted in a tanker-truck fire and the spilling of 10,000 gallons of fuel onto the roadway, St. Petersburg Fire Rescue reported.

Details about the crash remain unclear, police say, as investigators have received conflicting information. They are asking any witnesses to call the department at 727-893-7780.

The driver of the tanker, Jason Burgos of Spring Hill, was taken to Tampa General Hospital with life-threatening injuries. Fire Rescue reports that Burgos suffered second and third degree burns. The work truck driver, Jerry Freeman, has minor injuries and was taken to Bayfront Medical Center.

The intersection is expected to remain closed for several more hours. Police hope to have at least a lane open by noon.

According to the St. Petersburg Police Department, westbound traffic is being diverted north on Roosevelt Boulevard. Southbound traffic on Roosevelt is being diverted south on Dr. Martin Luther King Street.

Stay with Patch for updates as they become available.

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Photo courtesy of St. Petersburg Fire Rescue

Editor’s note: This article was updated at 12:26 p.m. Jan. 6 with the latest information from the St. Petersburg Police Department and the Florida Department of Transportation.