DEARBORN, Mich. – People who were anywhere close when the accident happened heard the crash and seconds later heard the first blast.
The tanker fire on Interstate 94 was visible for miles, and it became a camera phone moment.
Danny Karaki had a car up on the hoist at his auto repair shop when the whole place rumbled.
"It was like a little earthquake. A big explosion. By the time I got the the overpass I saw a semi truck blowing up," said Karaki.
Martin Smith was about 50 yards away pumping gas when the tanker blew. Moments later he was rolling video.
"You could hear the explosion. You could see the flames shoot up ... about 50-foot flames coming from the freeway," said Smith.
The same goes for many other people working on Michigan Avenue. The wreckage left thousands of drivers stuck on the highway, including a man whose day was turned upside down.
"I had a meeting a grocery store here, and my whole day is kind of messed up here. They had the whole highway blocked off. I didn't even know why," said driver Pat Eisel.