The truck was traveling on Interstate 95 near Stonington, Conn., at approximately 8 a.m. when it veered onto the shoulder, scraping a guardrail and tearing open the fuel tank, resulting in the diesel igniting and engulfing the cab in flames.

Police closing all but one northbound lane of I95. The highway wasn’t cleared until 7 p.m. that evening.

The truck was on its way to Underwood’s scheduled Saturday night performance at the MGM Grand Theatre at Foxwoods Casino in Mashantucket. Despite the tragedy, Underwood did perform, taking a moment to honor the fallen driver.

Introducing her song “Temporary Home,” Underwood brushed back tears as she told the audience what happened earlier that day.

“This song has a whole new meaning for us,” Underwood told the audience which responded with a standing ovation, according to the Los Angeles Times.

The driver was reportedly an Oklahoma man in his late 40s, according to the Hartford Courant. The newspaper reported the body was so badly burned police refrained from identifying the victim and notifying next of kin until dental records could provide a conclusive identification.

Click here for the Hartford Courant article.

Click here for the Los Angeles Times article.