Tanker crash closes down highway

Keith Paul

Wednesday, Aug. 2, 2000 | 6:32 a.m.

A southbound tractor hauling two tankers crashed and erupted into flames, closing U.S. 95 in both direction for hours Wednesday.

The accident happened near the Harmon Road overpass, between the Flamingo Road and Tropicana Avenue exits. U.S. 95 was closed between Boulder Highway and Sunset Road following the fiery accident.

The tanker truck crashed after another tractor traveling in the next lane on southbound U.S. 95 blew a tire and started swerving over the road about 1:45 p.m., the Nevada Highway Patrol said.

The tanker driver and the other truck driver were taken to University Medical Center with non-life threatening injuries. A passenger in truck was not injured, police said.

The flames from the tanker shot up more than 100 feet in the air with thick, black smoke visible from most parts of the Valley.

The tankers burned for about 90 minutes before Clark County firefighters doused the blaze with foam. No firefighters were hurt.

The northbound lanes of the highway were opened about 5 p.m. The southbound lanes were expected to be reopened about 9 p.m. once the burned out shell of the tankers and the truck were hauled away, officials said.