BY JOSE PAGLIERY

The Florida Turnpike was closed entirely Monday morning after a fuel tanker overturned, spilling flammable liquid across the highway.

The 2:30 a.m. incident occurred just north of Okeechobee Road when the fuel tanker collided with a white van, according to Miami-Dade Fire Rescue. The crash sent the van's driver flying out of the car, causing him serious injuries, paramedics said.

Firefighters evacuated both drivers as one of the overturned tanker's three 3,000-gallon compartments began to leak fuel. They covered the fuel with a special foam to prevent it from igniting, and treated both drivers.

The van's driver was taken by helicopter to Jackson Memorial Hospital's Ryder Trauma Center. The tanker's driver was driven to another hospital in a rescue truck.

The turnpike was closed in both directions between the Okeechobee Road and Red Road exits, and the Interstate 75 exit was also shut down. All named exits are expected to remain inaccessible until noon. Nearby roads filled with traffic as drivers were rerouted off the highway.

Spotted here