Trucker tried to prevent gas explosion on I-64

A Richmond trucker put his life in harm's way in an attempt to keep 6,000 gallons of gasoline from exploding, Virginia State Police said.

"The whole thing could have gone up," state police Sgt. Lee Elliott said as the ruins of a truck tractor smoldered on the shoulder of westbound Interstate 64 early yesterday morning shortly after midnight.

State police shut down eastbound and westbound lanes of the interstate Sunday night shortly after 10 p.m., when the tractor of a tractor-trailer carrying the gasoline caught fire. All lanes were reopened by 4:30 a.m.

Elliott said the truck driver, Michael Hickman of Richmond, pulled the rig over, left the cab and tried to separate the gasoline-filled tanker from the tractor before the tanker caught fire. Hickman had to turn from the flames and run from the scene.

At least one nearby resident said she heard two explosions. Henrico County firefighters put out the fire, but the tanker and demolished cab still were sitting by the interstate early Monday morning about a half-mile east of the Parham Road exit.

It was not clear last night how the tractor caught fire or how far Hickman drove the rig before pulling over.

Contact Bill McKelway at (804) 649-6601 or .