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SCIPIO — I-15 in central Utah has reopened after a tanker hauling gasoline exploded Sunday near Scipio, sending flames high into the air along the freeway.
Utah Highway Patrol officials said that a semi trailer had been hauling a tanker and a pup, a smaller trailer, on I-15 at about mile marker 202 when the pup caught fire.
A call reporting a rollover and explosion came into Juab County officials at about 7:30 p.m.
Crews contained the fire around 9:30 p.m., successfully preventing the fire from spreading to a second tanker and causing another explosion. Fire crews said fighting the blaze was difficult because freezing temperatures made the ground very slick.
The driver was not seriously injured, according to tweets from the Department of Public Safety.
Witness Hillary Stewart said she drove past the tanker as it burned.
"Even though we didn't have any windows open, we could still feel the heat from the enormous flame," she said in an email.
I-15 was closed in both directions between Scipio and Nephi but has since reopened.
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