Multi-vehicle crash halts I-40 traffic Wednesday morning

DECATUR COUNTY, Tenn. — A crash on I-40 at mile marker 121 had traffic backed up all Wednesday morning.

Two semi trucks crashed just before 7 a.m., and one of them burst into flames just minutes later.

Decatur County Sheriff Keith Byrd confirmed one person was killed in the crash.

Traffic was backed up in some sort for about 20 miles, with some people stuck there since it happened.

We spoke to some of the people waiting in traffic. One of the truck drivers said he was right behind the trucks when they crashed, and he’s lucky to be alive. Then he got out of his truck and started taking video.

In the video you can hear the distress in the man’s voice as he watches the scene unfold, something he said he would never forget.

Some people took video as they drove by, causing more traffic for the west-bound lane, which was open. Officers occasionally shouted at them to put the phones down.

Drone video from farther back in traffic shows the significant delays.

Drivers said later, traffic was moving around 10:45 a.m. The scene was still being cleared several hours later.