Truck Explodes on Highway in Utah
August 12, 2005 | 2 Comments
All over the news out here in Utah is this truck that overturned on Highway 6 in Spanish Fork Canyon. Apparently the truck was carrying 35,500 pounds of explosives called cast boosters that are used in mine exploration. The driver was going too fast, he lost control and the truck tipped over and skidded across the highway. The driver managed to get out of his truck, but by this time a crowd had started to form. He told them all to get back and managed to get most people away from the truck when it finally detonated.
The truck left a 30 foot deep and 70 foot wide hole in the highway. The truck flew 100 feet up the rock cliff andremains slid back down. Sharpnel was thrown up into the surrounding forest starting fires. The force of the blast was so intense it blew the windows out of cars in the area. Amazingly there were no deaths and injuries were limited to only ten or so. All the was left of the truck was the engine block and a mangled axl.
I wish they hadn’t closed the road, I wanted to drive up and see the destruction.
Other News about it:
Dallas News: Explosives-laden truck rolls, explodes in Utah
deseretnews.com: Blast closes canyon
Denver Post: Utah highway “gone” after explosion
Salt Lake Tribune: A canyone inferno
Tags: accident, explosion, explosives, highway, truck explodes, Utah