Two people killed in car crash into tractor trailer on Highway 290 in Harris County, Texas

HARRIS COUNTY, Texas – Harris County officials say two people are dead after a fiery crash on Highway 290 early Thursday. Houston TranStar reports a big rig and a smaller vehicle collided in the westbound lanes near Mason just before 5 a.m. Witness video shows that one of the vehicles caught fire, resulting in a hazmat spill. Two people died at the scene, officials say. As of 5:30 a.m. the freeway's outbound lanes remained shut down with traffic being forced to the frontage road.

The wreckage then caught on fire.A passenger in the car was killed. The driver of the big rig also died.All outbound lanes of the freeway are currently shut down while police investigate the crash. Two people are dead following a crash between an 18-wheeler and a car on Highway 290 outbound just past Mason Road.Police say the car was stopped on the side of the road for an unknown reason around 4:10am this morning. The driver got outside of the vehicle.An 18-wheeler then slammed into the car. Katherine Whaley will have updates on your alternate routes all morning long on Eyewitness News this Morning.

He's gonna be sore for a few days, but he's gonna be ok."The Harris County Medical Examiner's Office has not yet released the names of the victims. That passenger was one of Hogue's good friends."We pulled one passenger out and we tried to pull the other passenger out," Hogue said, "We tried and tried and tried. A survivor of a crash involving an 18-wheeler said he tried his best to save his friend.Anthony Hogue said he and his friends were on their way to Katy early Thursday morning. Their car stalled, and the driver pulled the car into the right lane of 290 westbound. The driver of the semi-truck died as well as one passenger in the car.