UPDATE: Crude oil tanker truck fire closes US 40 in both directions

Petroleum crude oil tanker truck catches fire on US 40 in Park City Photo: Park City Fire District

PARK CITY, Utah — A tanker truck transporting petroleum crude oil ignited on US 40 at MP 5 near Park City early Thursday, leading to a temporary closure of the highway in both directions. The Park City Fire District (PCFD) responded promptly, extinguishing the blaze and averting injuries. The Utah Department of Transportation (UDOT) reported that the incident caused approximately an hour of traffic delays while the area was secured and cleared by emergency personnel.

PCFD Battalion Chief Darren Nelson highlighted the quick and efficient response of the firefighting team. “Quick action to extinguish the fire using a hand line and a bumper-mounted nozzle prevented catastrophic failure of the tank and was significant in avoiding a much larger scale fire and hazardous materials incident,” Nelson stated.

The successful containment of the fire prevented what could have been a severe environmental and safety hazard.