Tanker truck carrying 7,900 gallons of liquefied natural gas was leaking fuel east of Elmore’s Corner
U.S. Highway 160 was closed in both directions from county roads 223 to 234 for a fuel taker that tipped and was reportedly leaking or venting liquid natural gas east of Durango. (Reuben M. Schafir/Durango Herald)
ELMORE’S CORNER – Emergency workers responded Monday to a tanker truck that crashed onto its side and was leaking fuel east of Elmore’s Corner, according to Durango Fire Protection District.
The crash was reported shortly after 11 a.m. near the 31300 block of U.S. Highway 160 east of Durango. The highway was closed in both directions near the crash site, and was expected to remain closed for several hours – possibly six to 24 hours, said DFPD Chief Randy Black at 1:30 p.m. Monday.
Traffic was being rerouted along county roads 234 and 225A on the north side of the highway, according to La Plata County government. Drivers traveling between Durango and Bayfield or Durango and Pagosa Springs were advised to take County Road 501 to avoid the scene.
Five homes in the immediate vicinity of the crash were evacuated, according to La Plata County’s Office of Emergency Management.
The truck was reportedly carrying 7,900 gallons of liquefied natural gas, according to the fire department. It was not immediately known how much of the fuel had escaped the tanker. Some of the gas was reportedly freezing on site, according to the county’s office of emergency management.
A regional hazardous materials crew was en route. The crew was coming from Montrose and Alamosa and were expected to arrive about 3:30 p.m. Monday, Black said.
He said almost no fuel was escaping the truck as of 1:30 p.m., possibly for lack of pressure or because a pipe was frozen.
Liquefied natural gas is natural gas that has been cooled to a liquid state, about negative 260 degrees Fahrenheit for shipping purposes, according the U.S. Department of Energy.
“The volume of natural gas in its liquid state is about 600 times smaller than its volume in its gaseous state,” according to the agency. “This process makes it possible to transport natural gas to places pipelines do not reach.”
Dispatchers planned to send a reverse-911 call to residents in the immediate vicinity warning them of the danger, according to scanner reports. But the reverse-911 system was not working so deputies with the La Plata County Sheriff’s Office went door-to-door advising residents of the danger.
Firefighters were initially told the crash sparked a grass fire, but first responders now believe there was no grass fire and it only appeared that way because of the leaking fuel, according to the office of emergency management.
Amelia Jackson, who lives near the crash site, said her neighbor reported seeing flames shortly after the crash but there were no flames visible as of 12:30 p.m. She was told she would likely be unable to return home until 6 p.m.
Kenna Patcheck, another resident who lives nearby, was not forced to evacuate her home but was advised that if she did leave she would be unable to return until the scene is secure.
The driver of the truck was taken to Mercy Hospital in stable condition.
Residents can call 385-8700 for the updates. People are not to call 911 about the incident.
This is a developing story. Check back with www.durangoherald.com for updates.
An earlier version of this story misstated the amount of fuel being transported based on incorrect initial reports.
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