One person was killed early this morning in a fiery crash on Interstate 69 that shut down traffic in both directions for several hours.

According to the Indiana State Police, emergency crews were dispatched just before 3 a.m. Wednesday to a serious crash in the southbound lanes of I-69 near the 212 mile marker. First responders arrived to find two heavily damaged vehicles engulfed in flames, with debris scattered across the interstate.

A preliminary investigation determined that a southbound SUV rear-ended a heavy-duty utility truck that was traveling at highway speeds and carrying welding supplies. The impact ignited tanks containing oxygen and acetylene, causing a large fire.

The driver of the SUV was trapped in the vehicle and was pronounced dead at the scene. The driver of the utility truck was transported to a local hospital for evaluation and was released a short time later. Police emphasized that the utility truck was not stopped at the time of the crash.

The Hamilton County Coroner’s Office recovered the remains of the deceased driver and is working to confirm the person’s identity.

Due to the crash debris, vehicle fires and a significant fuel spill, both southbound and northbound lanes of I-69 were closed. Southbound lanes remained closed for nearly six hours while investigators worked the scene and crews removed wreckage. Northbound lanes were closed for almost four hours and required heavy equipment to clear debris and fuel that covered all three lanes for approximately 50 yards.

The cause of the crash remains under investigation, and no additional information was released.