People gawking at the oilfield truck wreck were the cause of seven other accidents around the wreck scene, authorities said.

The truck plunged down an embankment near the town of Gibsland and caught fire at mid-afternoon. Traffic on eastbound I-20 was being detoured onto parallel U.S. 80.

The driver of the truck was injured and was airlifted to LSU Hospital in Shreveport.

Seven subsequent wrecks happened as motorists were "rubbernecking" at the truck wreck rather than paying attention to vehicles around them, Bienville Sheriff John Ballance said. About 20 people were injured, none seriously, ambulance crews said.

The tanker was carrying diesel. The fuel spilled into a creek.