A firefighter who survived the 2013 blast that leveled a large part of the McLennan County town of West has been identified as the one who was killed on the job Tuesday.
DPS officials say Eddie Hykel was part of the crew working a car fire on I-35 near Tokio Road just south of West. He was killed when a big rig crashed into a fire truck and two DPS squad cars parked to protect the fire crew at work.
But the impact was so dreadful that one of the vehicles was sent careening into Hykel who died at the hospital. Two troopers were also taken to the hospital but their injuries are not life-threatening. DPS has not said if the truck driver is going to be charged.
Hykel had spent 16 years with the West Volunteer Fire Department. His day job was with the West Public Works and Water Department.
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