Local News
Video Captures 18-Wheeler Bursting Into Flames After Train Collision in Fairburn, Georgia
FAIRBURN, Ga. — Dramatic video captured the moment an 18-wheeler erupted into flames after colliding with a train Thursday afternoon in Fairburn, prompting a large emergency response and the temporary closure of a major roadway.
According to authorities, the crash occurred near the intersection of Highway 29 and Bishop Road at approximately 1:45 p.m. on Thursday.
Fairburn Police and Fairburn Fire Department personnel responded to reports of a collision involving a tractor-trailer and a train along Highway 29.
Video from the scene showed the tractor-trailer engulfed in flames following the impact as emergency crews worked quickly to contain the fire and secure the area.
Firefighters from the City of South Fulton Fire Department also responded to assist with fire suppression, traffic control, and scene management.
Authorities confirmed that one person sustained minor injuries in the collision.
No fatalities were reported, and officials said the incident was brought under control by responding emergency crews.
The identity of the injured individual has not been released, and authorities have not provided additional information regarding the extent of the injuries.
Following the crash, officials closed Highway 29 between McLaren Road and Bishop Road while first responders extinguished the fire, cleared debris, and conducted a preliminary investigation.
Motorists were advised to avoid the area and seek alternate routes as crews continued cleanup operations.
Officials have not announced when the roadway will fully reopen to traffic.
Investigators have not yet determined what caused the tractor-trailer to collide with the train.
Authorities have not released information regarding whether the truck became stuck on the tracks, whether warning signals were functioning properly, or if any other factors contributed to the crash.
The collision remains under active investigation, and additional details are expected to be released as officials continue to examine the circumstances surrounding the incident.
The dramatic video of the crash has since circulated online, highlighting the intensity of the fire and the swift response by emergency personnel that helped prevent a more serious outcome.
Local News
Jimmy Brooks Killed in Wrong-Way Tesla Crash on I-26 in Buncombe County, Driver Bradley Vance Charged
BUNCOMBE COUNTY, N.C. — Jimmy Lee Brooks, 42, of Leicester, North Carolina, died after a wrong-way Tesla crash involving three vehicles on Interstate 26 near Asheville on Thursday afternoon, October 22, 2026.
Several other people were injured in the collision, and the Tesla driver has been charged in connection with the fatal crash.
According to the North Carolina State Highway Patrol, Bradley Vance Lanier, 54, of Taylors, South Carolina, was driving a Tesla westbound in the eastbound lanes of I-26 near Exit 37 when the vehicle struck a Honda SUV head-on before colliding with a Honda passenger car.
Brooks was a passenger in the Honda passenger car. He was transported to Mission Hospital in Asheville, where he was pronounced dead from his injuries.
The North Carolina State Highway Patrol said troopers responded to the crash at approximately 2:30 p.m. Thursday near mile marker 37 on eastbound I-26.
According to the agency’s statement, the Tesla entered the interstate traveling west in the eastbound lanes near Exit 37, also associated with Long Shoals Road. The vehicle first struck a Honda SUV head-on and then collided with a Honda passenger car.
A trooper from a neighboring county arrived shortly after the collision and began providing assistance to a passenger inside the Honda passenger car.
The car’s driver and two passengers were transported to Mission Hospital with serious injuries. Brooks was among the passengers and later died at the hospital. Authorities said the conditions of the other occupants were not immediately known.
The driver of the Honda SUV was also taken to Mission Hospital with minor injuries and was later released.
Lanier, the driver of the Tesla, sustained minor injuries and was transported to Mission Hospital before being released, according to the Highway Patrol.
Troopers subsequently charged him with four offenses:
- Driving while impaired (DWI)
- Felony death by vehicle
- Felony serious injury
- Reckless driving
Following his release from the hospital, Lanier was taken to the Buncombe County Detention Facility, where he was being held on a $5 million secured bond, according to the agency’s statement.
The charges are allegations, and the case will proceed through the court system. The official statement does not establish a conviction.
Interstate 26 was closed for approximately two hours while troopers investigated the collision and documented the scene.
The investigation centers on the circumstances that led the Tesla to travel in the wrong direction on the eastbound side of the interstate and the subsequent collisions involving the two Honda vehicles.
Authorities have not released the current medical conditions of all the injured occupants.
The fatal crash claimed the life of Brooks, a Leicester resident, and left several other people requiring hospital treatment.
The North Carolina State Highway Patrol is investigating the collision. Further information about the case may be released as the investigation and legal proceedings continue.