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Alex Cabrero ReportingA pipeline fire in western Wyoming went from small to dangerous in seconds this morning. I-80 between Evanston and Rock Springs was closed as crews tried to get the fire out. This was a fire that would've been hard to miss even if you were 25 or so miles away.
We found out it began at a crude oil storage facility, but exactly why and how it started is something investigators can't answer just yet. It's the type of fire emergency disaster crews always train for, but hope never happens.
Eric Quinney, Uintah Co. Fire: "It was pretty intense and the heat generated from it was peeling the paint from the storage tank right next to it."
Initially the call came in as only an overturned oil tanker with minor flames. As fire crews arrived, though, they knew right away these flames were from more than just a big truck.
Eric Quinney: "Once we got here, it wasn't a matter of going in and quickly attacking it. We wanted to take a step back and realize that we needed to do this safely."
Somehow an oil pipeline at a crude oil storage facility near Fort Bridger, Wyoming began burning. The challenge for firefighters was to get close enough to shut off valves, which would eliminate the fuel feeding the fire.
Eric Quinney: "When we were able to get close enough, we were able to determine that we had crude oil on fire, which puts off a tremendous flame and lots of smoke, which could be seen for miles and miles and miles."
Because of that, I-80 between Evanston and Rock Springs, nearly 100 miles of interstate, was shut down.
Brent Lund: "We've probably been stuck for about a half hour."
The risk to drivers was getting through thick, black smoke, and the possibility of an explosion.
Brent Lund, Salt Lake City: "Now we're just trying to find an alternate route to get to Denver. I guess we're gonna turn around and go through Heber and take 70 that way."
It took almost three hours before traffic could get moving again and for crews to finally get the fire out.
Eric Quinney: "It looked intense, but it was just matter of getting a gameplan and shutting off the right valve to shut the fire down."
Thankfully, no one was hurt in this fire. We've been told the cause of the fire does not appear to be suspicious. Investigators are leaning towards some kind of a mechanical failure that started all this, but there's still no definite word as of right now.
