A GNR source said the driver was a Portuguese man who lived in Albufeira.
Eyewitnesses told The Portugal News that the lorry was “completely burnt out and stretched out on its side across both lanes and the emergency lane on that side of the motorway.”
The accident occurred near kilometre 195, just after the Almodôvar petrol station, the last petrol station heading towards the Algarve.
It happened at around 6am that morning and took local fire and police services several hours before being able to reopen the motorway. Traffic was re-routed onto the IC19.
A spokesperson for the Beja GNR brigade confirmed the “crash and subsequent fire” of the lorry and the fatality, and said “at least one lane” of that side of the A2 was expected to reopen by 12 noon.