Just before 6:00am, a fiery crash closed all lanes of the I-10 East from Kenner toward Metairie near the Veterans Blvd. Exit.
Initial reports indicated at truck burst into flames after it flew off the elevated interstate at that location and that another truck flipped on its side on the I-10.
Cops now way it was actually the same truck that was a "piggy back" or "tandem truck" that had two large containers on the back.
"This is a hit and run crash," Trooper Melissa Matey explained. "We are looking for a silver Grand Marquis."
She says the car side swiped the truck forcing it to flip on its side. One of the two tandem trailers flew off the truck and plummeted to the ground below. It burst into flames.
"One of the pieces of the truck went over the side. It was carrying paint cans, and it did catch on fire," Matey explained.
Witnessed described a massive fireball and a series of paint cans exploding.
Police began diverting all traffic off the I-10 at Williams and later started the detour at I-310.
Drivers between Williams and Vets were stuck while fire and rescue crews worked to put out the blaze and respond to the crash. After more than an hour, police let them turn around and go the wrong way on the I-10 to get to a crossover. After two hours, one lane was reopen eastbound to let trucks finally get moving again.
Concerns about hazardous materials then had authorities also close the westbound lanes of the I-10 as well around 6:30am. Westbound traffic was reopened around 8:00am.
Matey says there are no haz mat concerns, however, at this time. The truck driver suffered minor injuries.
Shortly after 1:00pm, they reopened all but the far left lane on the I-10 East. Crews were repairing the guard rail on the left side of the road.
