Wreck shuts down part of West Loop

One person is dead, several are injured and much of the West Loop near Memorial Drive is shut down after an 18-wheeler crashed and burst into flames this afternoon. According to KTRK, a driver apparently changed lanes at the last minute when he decided not to exit onto the Katy Freeway; his car seems to have hit something and burst into flames. Another car was hit, and it was that driver who died; in total, the wreck involved the 18-wheeler and four cars. KTRK reports that five people suffered non-life threatening injuries in the wreck.

All southbound and all but two northbound lanes of the Loop are closed near Memorial. Traffic is being diverted onto feeder roads around the accident scene, so you might want to keep an eye out if you're in the Galleria area.