HAZEL PARK, Mich. -- A portion of Interstate 75 in Hazel Park became an inferno Wednesday when a gasoline tanker exploded.

Michigan State police said 27-year-old Saied Haidarian-Shahri, of Clawson, was driving the car that was going too fast around a curve on I-75 and Nine Mile Road around 8:20 p.m. and crashed into a fuel tanker, causing an explosion and an overpass to collapse.

Watch: RAW VIDEO: Tanker Explosion
Images: Tanker Explosion

MSP Lt. Shannon Sims said Haidarian-Shahri was going about 70 mph. The speed posted on the curve is 50 mph.

Haidarian-Shahri’s car struck the gasoline tanker, driven by Michael St. John, 44, of Armada, causing the cabin to disconnect from the trailer and the trailer, containing 13,000 gallons of diesel and unleaded fuel, to explode under the Nine Mile Road overpass.

The driver of a Meijer tractor-trailer, Jody Cicero, 38, of Monroe, stopped under the overpass to avoid the crash and exited his truck, police said. Moments later, the overpass collapsed and crushed the Meijer tractor-trailer. Witnesses said produce from inside the Meijer truck was strewn all over the freeway.

The three drivers suffered minor injuries.

Police said they are not sure whether charges would be brought against Haidarian-Shahri.

"This truck veered off to the right. It looks like it might have been cut off," said witness Troy Hubbs. "Then there was this fireball. Then there was explosion after explosion after explosion."

"With the physical evidence and from what the witness statements say, we should be able to put this together relatively easy," Sims said as his investigators continue to reconstruct the crash.

However, because of hot spots, investigators have not been able to get too close to the scene.

"Maybe there is still something left under that container under there, still full of fuel. We don't want anything to ignite," said Hazel Park Fire Chief Ray DeWalt.

A three-mile stretch of I-75 remains closed in both directions from Eight Mile Road to Interstate 696 while the gasoline tanker continues to smolder, hampering crews trying to assess the amount of damage to the roadways and overpass.

Watch: Surveillance: Mobile Station Near Explosion

Watch: Crews Start Cleanup After Tanker Explosion

Watch: Driver In I-75 Explosion Crash Identified

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Video: iShotNews Viewer Videos

Bridge Can't Be Salvaged

At the time of the crash, thick smoke billowed as flames shot up 150 to 200 feet in the air, melting the structure of the overpass. Investigators said the temperatures reached 2300 degrees at one point.

"That steel was too hot under there and we decided we were not going to take a chance," said Michigan Department of Transportation spokesman Rob Morosi. "When you figure that that fire raged how many hours at the temperature it did, obviously there was a compromise in the structural damage."

Morosi said the entire Nine Mile overpass will need to be replaced. Also, the intense heat compromised the concrete's composition, which will also have to be replaced.

Posen Construction Inc., a Macomb County contractor, won an $84,000 emergency bid to demolish the remainder of the bridge and remove debris from the freeway.

The state rehabilitated the Nine Mile overpass just last year.

Morosi said that his best estimate is that crews will need at least one week to get I-75 reopened.

Crews from Oakland County Water Resources Commission found gas vapors in the sewer lines nearly a mile away on Dequindre Road and flushed the sewers out.

"We've been monitoring this since late last night. This is where we found the highest concentration of volatile gases and bad atmospheres from what got into our systems," said Ed Thick with the Water Resources Commission.

Suggested Detours

The eastbound I-696 ramp to northbound I-75 has reopened.

However, the Nine Mile service drive remains closed.

Drivers are being urged to use Woodward Avenue as an alternate route. Also, drivers coming from Mound Road can take it south to the Davison Freeway.

Weekend total closures of I-696 have been canceled. There will also be no lane closures scheduled between I-75 and Woodard Avenue like previously scheduled.

To view the SMART Bus detours, click here.

The closures and detours are causing a lot of frustration to the nearly 160,000 motorists who use the freeway daily.

"I am frustrated because I don't know where to go. That's why I have stopped here at the gas station because I really need directions," said Sonal Desal of Lake Orion.

A man drove his car Thursday morning through the barricades on I-75 south, through the debris, and under the partially collapsed bridge. He was stopped by police and ticketed.

"I think this might possibly be the stupidest person that I have ever seen in my entire life," said Hazel Park City Manager Edward Klobucher. "Obviously what we have just seen is an individual who attempted to drive under a partially collapsed bridge."

About the Drivers

Local 4 has learned Haidarian-Shahri is originally from Iran, but recently moved to Michigan to study at Wayne State University.

Haidarian-Shahri got his driver's license in May and was still on probation, Local 4 has learned.

The driver of the fuel tanker worked for Safiedine Oil, a Macomb County company. Tony Kado, operations manager for Safiedine Oil said St. John has been a model employee for 18 years and his actions Wednesday night were heroic.

"I know that he did the best he could to keep himself safe and keep others safe. I couldn't believe it ... I really thought that someone got hurt for sure, something so catastrophic," said Kado.

When he heard about the crash, he rushed over to the scene and was praying for St. John.

"I am sure I wasn't the only person out there praying. There were a lot of positive words that came from people and the public," said Kado.

Witnesses Explain What They Saw

Hundreds of onlookers gathered around the crash to watch the flames, and some said they felt vibrations from the explosions for miles away.

"It was like Armageddon. It was crazy," said Autumn Stacks. "I was laying in bed and heard a big explosion and saw smoke everywhere."

"I just saw a huge ball of flame go up when I was at the red light, just went up in flame," said witness Mary Greib. "I took off running."

Businesses in the area said they felt the intense heat from the fire burning.

"All of a sudden, we felt the heat, the intensity on the window, and as we looked out, it was engulfed in flames," said a Subway employee.

Video from a surveillance video from a gas station near the overpass captured the moment of impact and the initial explosion.

Watch: Surveillance: Mobile Station Near Explosion