3 injured after tanker truck suddenly catches fire at New Smyrna Beach gas station

NEW SMYRNA BEACH, Fla. - Three people were hurt on Monday after a tanker truck caught fire while an employee was siphoning off gas at a gas station in New Smyrna Beach, according to the New Smyrna Beach Fire Department.

One person was flown to Orlando Regional Medical Center as a trauma alert while a second person was taken by ambulance to another hospital. A third person refused to go to the hospital, the official said.

"There were huge flames coming out from underneath the tanker. I mean they were going higher than the building," said witness Stormy James.

James, who lives nearby, called 911 after she saw the flames. She said she was worried about nearby homes.

Officials said a worker was siphoning off gas at the Texaco gas station off S. Dixie Freeway when the truck caught fire. Additional details were not immediately available.

"I called her my neighbor immediately after I called 911 because she’s got babies, and I said you better get in the house because there’s gonna be an explosion. It's the only thing I could think of because it happened at a gas station," she said.

Photos showed the tanker truck at the gas station surrounded by orange traffic cones, and caution tape surrounding the fueling area.