One person dead after crash on Highway 180 in East Central Fresno

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- A hazmat crew is on the scene of a crash on Highway 180 near Fowler Avenue in East Central Fresno. A semi-truck jackknifed and the cab went off the road after having a head on collision with an SUV.

The driver of the SUV was eastbound on Highway 180 when officials say for unknown reasons he lost control of his vehicle, crossed the median, and hit the truck head on.

A Fresno County Sheriff's deputy was on the scene immediately and managed to pull the driver of the SUV out of the wreckage before it burst into flames. The driver was taken to the hospital but died from his injuries.

The driver of the semi-truck, Salvador Sanchez, told us the car came out of nowhere at a high rate of speed he was not hurt.

A lot of diesel fuel spilled from one of the truck's ruptured tanks and the fire department has set up a hazmat cleanup.

Westbound Highway 180 is closed while the accident is being cleaned up and investigated. The name of man who was killed in this head-on collision has not yet been released.

It is not clear how long it will take to get the scene cleaned up and the highway reopened.

Stay with Action News for more on this developing story.