Southbound Interstate 85 reopens after fiery wreck

GASTONIA, N.C. (AP) — Traffic is back to normal in the southbound lanes of Interstate 85 in Gaston County after a fiery crash killed a South Carolina truck driver.

Police in Gastonia say one tractor-trailer rear ended another near mile marker 16 at 1:47 a.m. Thursday. The victim was identified as 45-year-old Eric Fitzgerald Lee of Greenville, S.C. His rig crashed into a tractor-trailer driver by 47-year-old Tomas Herrera Jr. of San Benito, Texas. The collision ruptured a fuel tank in the truck Lee was driving, causing an explosion

Authorities say Herrera was treated at Gaston Memorial Hospital and released.

The accident shut down southbound traffic from exit 14 to exit 17 until around 4:30 p.m. Thursday.

An investigation into the crash is under way. No charges have been filed.