Semi-truck rolls over, catches fire in traffic on I-80/94

A semi-truck rolled over and caught fire Wednesday Afternoon on I/80-94 in Hammond, Indiana.

The crash occurred about 12:41 P.M. near Calumet Ave., after the driver of the semi-truck struck a tire and lost control of the vehicle, according to Indiana State Police.

Amrik Bal, 56, of Indianapolis, was driving the 2014 Volvo tractor pulling a rail container operated by Evans Delivery Company westbound on the highway when he hit a tire that was lying in the left middle lane, police.

The truck then hit the concrete median barrier, causing the loss of the rear tandem tires which led to the rollover. When the truck rolled over, a diesel fuel tank was ruptured and the truck was engulfed in flames, police said.

The truck rolled over, rupturing a diesel fuel tank and engulfing the truck in flames, police said.

Bal was able to exit the truck and was taken to Saint Margaret’s Hospital in Hammond with non-life threatening injuries, police said.

Police learned that the tire Bal hit came from a tow truck driven by Dwayne A. Harris of Park Forest. Harris was driving eastbound on when he lost one of the dual tires on the left rear of the tow truck and one of the tires went over the median and landed in Bal’s path, police said.

The left three westbound lanes were closed through Wednesday afternoon, as Hammond Fire and EMS, Indiana State Police Commercial Vehicle Enforcement Division, Indiana Department of Transportation and Hoosier Helpers, and Bert’s Towing extinguished the fire, cleaned up debris and towed the trucks, police said.