Truck Catches On Fire After Dramatic Crash On New York State Thruway

Not that anyone needs the reminder, but the roads and highways across New York can be dangerous. Officials say a tractor-trailer went off the road near interchange 21 on the New York State Thruway Wednesday afternoon.

Firefighters described the scene as something that you'd expect to see in an "action movie", as reports indicate that the truck crashed, rolled, and then caught fire. The truck crash shut down Thruway traffic, as emergency crews worked at the scene, according to CBS.

Firefighters, from multiple districts, battled a combination of rough terrain and bitter cold temperatures from late afternoon into the night.

Truck Catches On Fire After Dramatic Crash on New York State Thruway

The Catskill Fire Company posted on their Facebook page that they were called to the scene late Wednesday afternoon to assist with a "spectacular but devastating accident" on the New York State Thruway.

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Fire officials say that a tractor-trailer crashed through and over a box beam rail, before rolling approximately 60 feet down an embankment, and then dropping 300 to 400 feet off the terrain. The huge crash resulted in the truck bursting in flames with an occupant being ejected from the vehicle, according to reports.

Catskill Fire says that their units and other fire districts had to contend with not only the brutal terrain in that area but freezing cold temperatures as well. Unfortunately, a life was lost during the crash, according to officials.

CBS reports that in a separate incident, another tractor-trailer rollover occurred on the right shoulder "about a mile or two southbound from the first crash". The second crash resulted in minor injuries.

A reason for what lead to the first crash has not been given by officials as of yet. WNYT reports that the victim has been identified as 54-year-old Sean Horsford of Queens, who died at the scene. .