An early morning wreck on southbound I-95 caused a fiery explosion that left one man dead and the highway closed in both directions for several hours Thursday.

A tractor-trailer hauling cars was traveling south of Richmond Hill when it was struck by a fuel tanker at 3:40 a.m., according to Georgia State Trooper First Class Henry Gilliard.

Gilliard said the tractor trailer had just merged onto the interstate from Hwy. 17.

“The tanker just came up from behind, hit him and burst into flames. The tanker was carrying gasoline,” he said.

The driver of the fuel tanker, 28-year-old David Allen McGrath of Brunswick, died at the scene.

“For some reason, he just didn’t react,” Gilliard said. “There were no skid marks or anything … We don’t know if he was sleeping or just distracted in some other way.”

The driver of the tractor trailer, 39-year-old Eric Flores of Brandon, Fla., was not injured.

For more, pick up a copy of the April 9 edition of the News.