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Witnesses pull critically-injured driver from burning semi after fiery crash

Posted at 7:05 AM, Jul 16, 2014
and last updated 2014-07-16 23:11:46-04

SUMMIT COUNTY, Utah - One man is in the hospital in critical condition after a fiery crash involving two semi trucks in Summit County.

Officials said two witnesses pulled the injured driver from the burning semi near the Wyoming border early Wednesday morning.

Authorities said a semi with DATS Trucking, Inc. was pulled over on the roadside because it got a flat tire.

Then a second semi, from Estes Express Lines, slammed into the back of the first rig, sparking an inferno and seriously injuring the driver.

One of the trucks was carrying about 500 car batteries and the other had almost 500 gallons of Magic acid, a type of cleaning agent.

The other semi driver was not injured in the crash.

All eastbound lanes of I-80 were open but the westbound lanes of I-80 were still shut down about 11 miles west of the Wyoming border for several hours, according to UDOT. All lanes were later reopened Wednesday evening.