A fiery crash involving two commercial transport trucks in central Newfoundland early yesterday morning has claimed the life of one person and seriously injured another.

The crash happened on the TCH near Gull Pond Bridge between Badger and South Brook just after 2:00 am.

Both rigs were fully engulfed in flames when RCMP arrived.

The driver of the eastbound truck, a 47-year-old man, was pronounced dead at the scene while the driver of the westbound transport suffered serious injuries.

The accident forced the closure of the highway for several hours as police investigated. Also, provincial authorities were called in to assess the condition of the highway following the fire.

Out of respect for the families, RCMP will not be releasing any other detail at this time.

The cause of the crash remains under investigation.