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SPANISH FORK — An accident involving a two seimitrucks, one hauling fuel, forced the closure of US 6 in Spanish Fork Canyon Thursday. The road was reopened early Friday morning.
Shortly before 6 p.m., a westbound semitruck hauling tires collided head-on with a double fuel tanker. It happened in a stretch of the canyon commonly called "the narrows."
"It is a narrow area in the canyon where there are tight curves, there are warning signs to reduce the speed," said Utah Highway Patrol Capt. Barton Blair.
"If this was a passenger car," Blair added, "the outcome would have been significantly different."
But both drivers will survive; they suffered only minor injuries.
The tanker was carrying 12,000 of fuel, but only one compartment was torn open during the crash.
"It could have been a lot worse than it was, but it is a significant fuel leak," Blair said.
Keeping the fuel out of the river, and digging it up and hauling off any contaminated soil, will be hazmat crews' man focus throughout the night.
"As you can see, the magnitude and the scope of the operation, there's just a lot of things happening right now," Blair said.
There were also two trains held up by the spill, one of them an Amtrak. It was a decision made by cleanup crews in hopes of preventing an even worse tragedy.
"We want to eliminate the possibility of any type of a spark a spark that may or may not come off that wheel," explained Randy Merrill, spokesman for Union Pacific Railroad.
Such a spark could set off quite an explosion.
"We have to make sure that its safe for the public coming through there," Blair said.
That Amtrak train was actually released and able to go through the area just before 10 p.m., but the highway remained closed from Thistle Junction to Price.
More information will be posted as it becomes available.
Stay with ksl.com, KSL TV and KSL Newsradio 102.7FM/1160AM for the latest updates.
