18-wheel tanker erupts in flames after wreck on New Jersey Turnpike at exit 15W in Kearny, New Jersey

A tanker truck flipped over a guardrail on the New Jersey Turnpike Wednesday afternoon, bursting into flames and sending thick black smoke billowing into the air that was visible from New York City.   Authorities said the northbound lanes of the turnpike were shut down near the accident scene at exit 15W in Kearny. Southbound lanes remained open. Heavy delays were expected in the area. 

"It looked like the SUV before the tanker hit his brakes and cut in front of the tanker," Hauer said. A dashboard camera equipped on another truck captured the crash as the tanker truck driver, toting 8,500 gallons of gasoline from a Linden refinery, swerved to avoid hitting an SUV that cut in front of it. No charges have been filed at this time against the 26-year-old driver of the van that lost a pile of mattresses on the New Jersey Turnpike Wednesday afternoon, forcing a tanker truck driver to swerve so suddenly that his truck flipped over a guardrail and instantly burst into flames, killing him. Authorities said the driver of the Honda CRV involved in the accident with the tanker before it flipped over the guardrail was OK. The truck driver who died is believed to be a Newark man, but his identity has not been released. Kevin Hauer, a truck driver from Michigan who captured the accident on his dash cam, told NBC 4 New York he saw a cargo van carrying four mattresses on top about 10 to 15 miles before the crash.

State police say a tanker truck that overturned on the New Jersey Turnpike and caught fire was carrying 8,500 gallons of gasoline from a Linden refinery.State police said Thursday that the driver who was killed Wednesday near milepost 110 in Kearny was believed to be a Newark man, but they are waiting for confirmation from the medical examiner before releasing his name. An autopsy was performed Thursday.The truck overturned on the right shoulder and caught fire, sending billowing clouds of black smoke into the sky that could be seen as far away as New York City.The truck swerved to avoid one of two mattresses and a box spring that had fallen from a van onto the highway.No charges have been filed against the 26-year-old Linden man driving the van.