A fuel tanker truck collided with a CSX freight train Wednesday morning in a fiery crash near State Road 60 west of Bartow.
Authorities have confirmed that the driver of the truck, who has not been identified, is dead, but said the three people aboard the the train were not injured.
The collision occurred just south of the intersection of S.R. 60 and Bonnie Mine Road on property owned by the Mosaic phosphate company. The 3,000-gallon tanker was carrying an undetermined amount of diesel fuel, which created heavy black smoke while firefighters allowed it to burn off.
According to Polk County Fire and Rescue spokesman Brad Ruhmann, the train was not directly involved in the fire. Flames from the tanker were concentrated near the front of the train's locomotive.
The Polk County Sheriff's Office closed State Road 60 for a time because of the smoke but reopened it by early Wednesday afternoon.
Bay News 9 partner newspaper The Ledger of Lakeland reported that the tanker was returning to a Mosaic refining operation after delivering a load of diesel fuel to some back-up generators. The newspaper also said the train was pulling three cars loaded with acid used in phosphate operations and two empty cars. CSX officials said the cargo was non-hazardous.
The train was described as a "local" train that operates out of Mulberry and serves area industries and businesses.