Truck Carrying Explosives Crashes in Uintah County

Truck Carrying Explosives Crashes in Uintah County


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OURAY, Utah (AP) -- A semitrailer carrying a potentially dangerous blend of explosive materials crashed in Uintah County on Friday, forcing the evacuation of two nearby homes.

No injuries were reported, the Utah Highway Patrol said.

The truck rolled over on Utah 88 near Pelican Lake and the town of Ouray, about 175 miles east of Salt Lake City.

The truck was carrying 40,000 pounds of ammonium nitrate, 10,000 blasting caps and several hundred pounds of dynamite, UHP spokesman Jeff Nigbur said.

"Ammonium nitrate is a fairly stable substance, but when you put it in contact with an ignition source, like blasting caps, it could possibly turn into a dangerous situation," Nigbur said.

No explosion occurred when the truck rolled, he said.

A hazardous materials team was cleaning up the scene. Nigbur did not know if the box truck was intact or had split open and spilled any material on the road. He also didn't know how the materials were packaged, but said he didn't believe they could get mixed together.

Crews focused on cleaning up the blasting caps first, followed by the dynamite and then the ammonium nitrate, Nigbur said.

Authorities evacuated homes within a two-mile radius around the crash. But the area is remote and only two homes were affected.

Police are still trying to determine what caused the crash. Nigbur said there's a tight hairpin turn in the area where other accidents have occurred.

(Copyright 2006 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

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