ST. LOUIS (KMOV) -- A collision Saturday afternoon between a semi tanker truck and a van on northbound Interstate 55 near Hamel, Ill., killed one person, authorities said.

KMOV

(PHOTOS: I-55 accident kills one, closes roadway)

The Illinois State Police said the driver of a southbound van crossed the median and struck the northbound tractor-trailer around 12:45 p.m.

The van flipped and caught fire, trapping the sole occupant inside.

The northbound lanes of I-55 were closed for nearly five hours while an accident reconstruction team investigated the crash.

Police said the van’s driver, who was not immediately identified, was pronounced dead at the scene.