Columbia, SC (May 18, 2026) – A crash between two tractor-trailers on Interstate 77 northbound near Killian Road in Richland County resulted in a fire and sent one person to the hospital on Sunday, May 17. The incident happened just before 6 a.m. and disrupted traffic for several hours.
One tractor-trailer was attempting to merge onto I-77 from the emergency lane when it struck a second truck already traveling northbound. The impact caused the northbound truck to flip and catch fire. The driver of that vehicle was taken to a hospital with injuries not believed to be life-threatening.
No injuries were reported involving the other driver. The truck that caught fire was hauling mulch, while the one merging from the emergency lane was carrying watermelons. The scene was not fully cleared until approximately 1:30 p.m.
Authorities continue to investigate the cause of the crash, and more details will be released as soon as they become available.
We are thinking of the injured driver as he continues to recover.
What Makes Emergency Lane Merges Dangerous on South Carolina Interstates?
Merging from an emergency lane onto a high-speed interstate is one of the more dangerous maneuvers a large truck driver can make. Tractor-trailers require significantly more distance to accelerate to highway speeds compared to passenger vehicles, which can create serious speed differences with oncoming traffic. When that gap is misjudged, the result can be a high-impact collision with little time for either driver to react.
Fires involving large commercial trucks often start when fuel lines, tires, or cargo ignite after a rollover. Loads like dry mulch can burn quickly and intensify once they catch. These types of crashes can close interstate lanes for many hours while crews work to extinguish the fire and clear the scene safely.
