Engineers with the Texas Department of Transportation are gathering what they need to make repairs to Interstate 35E in Lake Dallas, but the timetable had not been announced as of Friday afternoon.

A 200-foot length of the freeway must be repaired from shoulder to shoulder, following the explosion of a tanker truck about one-half mile south of the Swisher Road overpass early Thursday afternoon.

“All the asphalt that burned has to be taken up and replaced,” engineer Keith Nabors said.

Although both men in the truck escaped the cab following the accident, the driver, Matthew Webb, 28, of Krum later died at Parkland hospital in Dallas. Roland Mattern, 25, of Saginaw was admitted to Parkland with burns over 30 to 35 percent of his body.

A hospital spokesman said Friday that Mattern remained in critical condition.

The Taylor Oil Co. tanker truck, which was carrying 4,500 gallons of diesel, exploded into a ball of fire after witnesses said it swerved, jumped the median and rolled on its side.

Fire crews allowed the tanker to burn itself out rather than risk sending fuel into nearby Lewisville Lake. The fire raged for hours, snarling traffic all over southern Denton County as drivers sought alternate routes.

All the northbound and southbound lanes, as well as the shoulders, were damaged in the fire.

Nabors said the transportation department wants to fix the highway before Thanksgiving.

Flashing signs on I-35E warned drivers that the freeway would be closed overnight Tuesday into Wednesday.

“If we can do it at night, we can do it all in one night,” Nabors said.

PEGGY HEINKEL-WOLFE can be reached at 940-566-6881. Her e-mail address is pheinkel-wolfe@dentonrc.com.