FREDERICK, Md. (AP) — A tanker truck hauling a flammable liquid crashed on a Maryland highway Saturday and caught fire, killing the driver and damaging several homes and vehicles, authorities said.
The truck crashed around noon on U.S. 15 in Frederick, about an hour's drive west of Baltimore. Photos showed massive flames and billowing smoke.
BREAKING: Gas Tanker Explosion on Rt 15 with Multiple Fires Reported To Adjacent Neighborhoods
— TheCityofFrederickMD (@_frederickmd) March 4, 2023
Frederick County Fire & Rescue are currently responding to a gas tanker explosion on Rt 15 near Rosemont exit. There are reports of houses on fire in the adjacent neighborhood on… https://t.co/l7AB680C4H pic.twitter.com/VxIynjXv8Y
Fire crews arrived within minutes of receiving several emergency calls and found the truck completely engulfed in a fire that had also spread to three homes and automobiles, Frederick Fire Chief Tom Coe said at a news conference
One of those homes was extensively damaged, displacing the residents. The other two sustained minor damage, Coe said.
The tanker driver, who was not immediately identified, died but no other injuries were reported, Coe said.
Authorities said the exact chain of events that led to the crash is under investigation. Officials are also working to determine exactly what substance the tanker was hauling, though Coe said it was believed to be a commonly transported flammable liquid like gasoline or diesel fuel that poses no threat to the general public.
Crews will be monitoring the air quality and isolating the area where the liquid saturated soil for cleanup, he said. Officials said there was no breach of the city's sewer system or a nearby creek.
The crash initially shut down U.S. 15, which runs through the city of about 80,000 people, in both directions, the State Highway Administration said.
#frederick big fire on interstate 15 in Frederick MD pic.twitter.com/6p66pLJRhT
— j (@jman87530075) March 4, 2023