The man's body has yet to be released to his family and remains with state officials, authorities said. Watch video
Six days after the horrific oil tanker explosion that killed a truck driver on the New Jersey Turnpike, State Police have officially identified the victim.
State Police Sgt. 1st Class Gregory Williams said the Northern Regional Medical Examiner's Office confirmed today the victim is 40-year-old Kumar Dalip of North Hollywood, Calif.
However, the trucking company he was driving for at the time of his death identified him last week as Dalip Kumar of Newark, and said he had been working for the Warren-based company for the last nine months.
While his identity was published by various outlets last week, State Police did not release it until this afternoon, as the regional Medical Examiner was awaiting dental records to confirm the victim was in fact Kumar.
The 40-year-old driver was pronounced dead Wednesday following the fiery crash near mile marker 109.6 on the Turnpike's western spur in Kearny. His tanker, which was carrying 8,500 gallons of gasoline, flipped over a guardrail on the northbound side of the roadway and burst into flames, authorities said.
"All of us are deeply saddened by the loss of our friend and employee, Dalip Kumar," Warren-based JSK Transport Inc. said in a statement last week. "Our thoughts and prayers are with his family and friends at this difficult time."
State Police said the driver of the tanker lost control of the vehicle as he attempted to avoid several mattresses and box springs that fell off a white cargo van and onto the road. The accident also involved a Honda CRV, whose driver suffered minor injuries, State Police said.
Meanwhile, the driver of the van carrying the mattresses -- who was identified as a 26-year-old Linden resident -- has not been charged with a crime or issued summonses in connection with the crash, Williams said today.
Thick black smoke billowed over the crash site for approximately 90 minutes after the accident and could be seen from miles away. The northbound lanes of the heavily-traveled highway were shut down Wednesday afternoon and reopened early the following morning.