Franklin County, GA : Driver killed in fiery tractor-trailer crash on I-85 near the Georgia/South Carolina on Thursday, July 14, 2016

A truck driver who was killed in a fiery crash Thursday has been identified by authorities.

Phillip Leon House, of Georgia, was driving his tractor trailer north on Interstate 85 near the Georgia/South Carolina when his truck crossed the median, went over a cable barrier and hit a southbound tractor trailer, according to investigators.

House died at the scene, authorities said.

Troopers said the trailer separated from the truck, sparking a fire.

The crash injured the other truck driver and shut down both lanes of Interstate 85 for several hours.

The collision happened at mile marker 169 around 2 p.m., Franklin County Georgia Sheriff Steve Thomas said.

Sky 4 was overhead as dozens of first responders worked at the scene.

A News 4 crew said at about 3:30 p.m. that traffic was already backed up past the state line in Anderson County. Traffic was being diverted off I-85 in Hart County, Georgia.

At about 6 p.m., one southbound lane was reopened and traffic was beginning to move slowly, though the backup at 6:20 p.m. was still about four to five miles long.

At 6:30 p.m., a News 4 crew reported that traffic was backed up just one exit short of the Georgia/South Carolina line.

All lanes opened a short time later.

Source :
Driver killed in fiery tractor-trailer crash on I-85 identified