Every year in the U.S., more than 30,000 people are killed in automobile accidents. On Sunday, May 22, two more were added to the number of fatalities from truck accidents.

Early in the morning, a tractor trailer hit a highway bridge abutment heading north on I-85 in Gaffey, South Carolina. The truck damaged at least one of the bridge's support columns, causing millions of dollars in damages.

When the truck hit the abutment, it exploded into flames, and the driver, who was not wearing a seatbelt, was thrown out of the vehicle and found dead on the road's shoulder. Police found the second passenger dead inside the sleeper of the truck.

The cause of the accident is unclear, and officials are still investigating. They have not released the victim's names, but the company operating the truck, Network Communications of Lawrenceville, Georgia, did inform investigators that the truck was on its way to deliver printed materials to states in the northeast.

Currently the northbound highway drivers must take a 6-mile detour around the bridge while the damage is being repaired. Officials hope that the highway will re-open in the afternoon on Tuesday, May 24.

If you have lost loved ones in a truck accident in the U.S., contact an experienced attorney through the Accident Lawyers Network today.