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A Franklin, Illinois man is dead after a fiery crash in Randolph County Tuesday afternoon.

Illinois State Police say 55 year old Mickey Clayton was killed when propane truck he was driving rear-ended a coal truck and caught fire. The accident happened about 2:30 p.m. along County Line Road near Blackstump Road, just east of Steelville.

Firefighters had begun to put the fire out when a propane leak sent them ducking for cover. Moments later, an explosion sent a fireball more than 100 feet into the air. It took about 40 firefighters another hour to get the fire out.

The driver of the coal truck wasn't hurt.

The cause of the crash is still being investigated.

Traffic is moving on Westbound Interstate 64 after an accident closed the road just past Kingshighway.

Several vehicles were involved in an accident and emergency crews shut down all westbound lanes.

Police are turning around drivers waiting in the westbound lanes and directing them to exit at Kingshighway.

A tractor-trailer fire caused delays for drivers along Interstate 44 in the City of St. Louis overnight.

Crews had to closed eastbound I-44 at Vandeventer just before midnight while emergency crews worked to contain it. The right two lanes reopened about 12:30 a.m. but the left lane remained closed.

It's not clear what sparked the fire, but the tractor and trailer appear to be total losses. Both have burned down to their metal frames.

There's no word of any injuries.

Several road and highway projects are set to begin this week along three heavily traveled areas.

MoDOT will close lanes on the Poplar Street Bridge this  morning starting at nine until 2:30 in the afternoon. One lane in each direction will be closed weekdays for the next three weeks for crews to inspect the bridge.

In St. Charles County, traffic along Interstate 64 will be slowed or stopped for periods of time this week so crews can blast rock near the Boone Bridge.  Officials will help stop traffic at the designated times starting Tuesday. Blasting times will vary each day. Traffic is expected to be stopped for a maximum of ten minutes.

Close by, Olive street road will be closing between Centaur and Chesterfield Airport Road.  St. Louis County tells KTRS News, Centaur will be closed for two weeks as a contractor installs a 90 foot-long storm drainage system near construction of one of two new outlet malls.  

Drivers are asked to use the southern routes of Eatherton, Wildhorse Creek Road, Long Road and Chesterfield Airport Road.

Look for electronic message boards which will list any changes.

Several road and highway projects are set to begin this week along three heavily traveled areas.

MoDOT will close lanes on the Poplar Street Bridge this  morning starting at nine until 2:30 in the afternoon. One lane in each direction will be closed weekdays for the next three weeks for crews to inspect the bridge.

In St. Charles County, traffic along Interstate 64 will be slowed or stopped for periods of time this week so crews can blast rock near the Boone Bridge.  Officials will help stop traffic at the designated times starting Tuesday. Blasting times will vary each day. Traffic is expected to be stopped for a maximum of ten minutes.

Close by, Olive street road will be closing between Centaur and Chesterfield Airport Road.  St. Louis County tells KTRS News, Centaur will be closed for two weeks as a contractor installs a 90 foot-long storm drainage system near construction of one of two new outlet malls.  

Drivers are asked to use the southern routes of Eatherton, Wildhorse Creek Road, Long Road and Chesterfield Airport Road.

Look for electronic message boards which will list any changes.

Emergency work on Westbound I-255 will affect the Wednesday evening rush.

Two lanes will be closed at the Jefferson Barracks Bridge as crews work to replace and expansion joint. The workers are expected to continue their work until midnight.