KANSAS CITY, Mo. — One person was killed when a semi tractor-trailer caught fire Nov. 1 on Interstate 35 in Edgerton, Kansas, shutting down the roadway for hours in both directions.
The driver of the 18-wheeler lost control around 2:30 a.m. and hit a pillar of the Sunflower Bridge. The semi then caught fire, according to the Johnson County Sheriff's Office.
The driver, who authorities identified on Nov. 12 as 32-year-old Leobardo E. Perez of El Paso, Texas, died in the single-vehicle crash.
The driver in the fatality accident that occurred on November 1, has been identified as 32-year-old Leobardo E. Perez of El Paso, Texas.
— Johnson Co KS Sheriff (@JOCOSHERIFF) November 12, 2019
Our thoughts go out to the family and friends of Leobardo.#NewsRelease#Update https://t.co/VgBW05z8cY
I-35 had to be shut in both directions so fire crews could work. By 12:45 p.m. Friday, the northbound lanes had reopened.
Shortly after 4:30 p.m., the sheriff's office said the southbound lanes had also reopened.
Assessing the damage from the vehicle fire on the bridge construction at Sunflower Rd and I-35.@CityofEdgerton pic.twitter.com/RpNnQqqn5F
— KCMetroKDOT (@KansasCityKDOT) November 1, 2019
An investigative team called to the scene used a drone to take measurements and try to determine what happened.
The sheriff's office also planned to reconstruct the crash for more insight into what could have caused the wreck.
Sunflower Bridge was closed for construction at the time of the crash. A sheriff's office spokeswoman said investigators do not believe there were issues with construction on the bridge but said the investigation was ongoing.
The Kansas Department of Transportation was called to the scene to inspect the bridge.
—
