The Salt Lake City Tribune reported that a Flying J truck hauling butane gas exploded and burned Wednesday night about two and a half hours after it crashed into a van.
According to the Associated Press, 1,500 people were evacuated after the initial accident on U.S. 89 in Kaysville, Davis County, Utah.
The driver of the butane truck, identified as Travis Mortensen, was southbound on U.S. Highway 89 when he reportedly discovered the brakes on his truck were not working. He ran a red light and hit a van turning left onto the highway from 200 North. Mortensen's truck, which was pulling two tanks of butane, veered off the side of the highway. There, the truck cab and the main butane tank rolled, while the smaller tank became detached. Together, the two tanks contained about 12,700 gallons of the highly flammable gas.
The accident caused a crack in the larger tank. Over the next two hours, firefighters saturated the tank and the crack with water. However, according to AP, heavier-than-air butane fumes flowed downhill and entered a home, where they were ignited, possibly by a pilot light, a sheriff's officer said. The blast blew out windows and knocked sheet rock off walls. Flames shot back to the tanker and set off the fuel, sending flames 100 feet into the air.
Emergency workers drew back, fearing a BLVE - Boiling Liquid Vapor Explosion, The butane in the main tanker had burned off by early Thursday and crews were trying to right the trailer.
About 10:30 p.m. there was an explosion of butane fumes in a second home, which blew out windows but did not cause a fire.
The driver of the van hit in the initial accident was reported in serious by stable condition at a local hospital. No other injuries were noted in press accounts.
According to the Associated Press, 1,500 people were evacuated after the initial accident on U.S. 89 in Kaysville, Davis County, Utah.
The driver of the butane truck, identified as Travis Mortensen, was southbound on U.S. Highway 89 when he reportedly discovered the brakes on his truck were not working. He ran a red light and hit a van turning left onto the highway from 200 North. Mortensen's truck, which was pulling two tanks of butane, veered off the side of the highway. There, the truck cab and the main butane tank rolled, while the smaller tank became detached. Together, the two tanks contained about 12,700 gallons of the highly flammable gas.
The accident caused a crack in the larger tank. Over the next two hours, firefighters saturated the tank and the crack with water. However, according to AP, heavier-than-air butane fumes flowed downhill and entered a home, where they were ignited, possibly by a pilot light, a sheriff's officer said. The blast blew out windows and knocked sheet rock off walls. Flames shot back to the tanker and set off the fuel, sending flames 100 feet into the air.
Emergency workers drew back, fearing a BLVE - Boiling Liquid Vapor Explosion, The butane in the main tanker had burned off by early Thursday and crews were trying to right the trailer.
About 10:30 p.m. there was an explosion of butane fumes in a second home, which blew out windows but did not cause a fire.
The driver of the van hit in the initial accident was reported in serious by stable condition at a local hospital. No other injuries were noted in press accounts.
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