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A tractor-trailer carrying 35,500 pounds of explosives overturned and exploded Wednesday, injuring several people and leaving a huge crater on U.S. 6 in Spanish Fork Canyon.
The truck driver, a passenger in the cab, a motorist and a man on a motorcycle were transported to hospitals immediately after the 1:54 p.m. accident, Utah Highway Patrol Sgt. Todd Royce said.
The truck was “pretty much vaporized” in the explosion, Royce said.
The explosion left a crater in the two-lane highway estimated to be between 60 feet and 80 feet wide and between 20 feet and 35 feet deep, Utah Department of Transportation spokesman Tom Hudachko said.
“The entire road is gone, shoulder to shoulder, there's no asphalt left,” he said.
The explosion also destroyed part of the adjacent railroad tracks and some fiber optic telephone lines buried along the road, Utah Highway Patrol Lt. Doug McCleve said.
Witnesses said the truck's driver appeared to lose control of the vehicle after taking a curve in the highway at a high rate of speed, McCleve said.
It is believed the truck accident initially started a fire, which triggered the explosion, Hudachko said.
The truck's driver, a 30-year-old man, was transported by helicopter to University of Utah Hospital, where he was listed in fair condition, spokesman Chris Nelson said. The driver was alert and talking to medical staff when he arrived.
Witnesses to the accident rushed to help the driver and his passenger, freeing the pair from their safety belts, McCleve said. Without the help, “they would not have survived.”
The dazed driver was just coherent enough to say the word “explosive,” giving rescuers a sense of the danger, McCleve said.
The driver was sent by medical helicopter to the University Hospital Burn Center, where he seemed to be in good condition.
“He’s in Fair condition. He’s speaking. He’s talking with our medical staff, said Chris Nelson with University Hospital public affairs.
Troy Lysford, the co-driver was just getting ready to sleep in the cab when the semi turned on its side. After getting himself out of the truck saw the fire. Remembering his emergency explosives training, he tried to warn people to get out of the area.
“I spent way too much time to get people to move. They just weren’t moving fast enough,” said Lysford.
Lysford wasn’t sure how far away he was from the truck when the 35,000 pounds of explosives blew.
“I was close enough that it literally picked my off my feet and threw me to the ground,” said Lysford.
He was taken to Utah Valley Medical Center where, although still dazed, he spoke from a wheelchair.
“I feel very lucky to be here. It was a tremendous force. I felt it literally all the way through me before it even hit me,” said Lysford.
Art Rigoli was driving two vehicles behind the overturned semi when he heard the warnings to move and tried to get out of the way.
“I didn’t know where I was at. I’ve never seen anything like that before,” said Rigoli.
LDS Hospital spokesman Jess Gomez said two people in critical condition were taken by medical helicopter to Utah Valley Regional Medical Center in Provo. The motorcycle driver, J.D. Herbert, was taken by ambulance and was in satisfactory condition.
Herbert, of Denver, said he was trying to warn motorists about the truck accident when the explosion blew him off his motorcycle. :shock:
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Let's keep those things away from downtown Dallas. :monkey:
S.
