TOOELE COUNTY, Utah, May 19, 2016 (Gephardt Daily) — Interstate 80 on the east edge of the Salt Flats was closed for about 90 minutes Thursday night because of an accident that sounded a lot more “interesting” than it was.
“We were called by dispatch about a semi truck and trailer on fire, and the trailer had ammunition in it,” said Jake Barton, Utah Highway Patrol trooper. “They said, ‘We’re not really sure how much ammunition is in it.'”
Barton, the first on site at about 7:50 p.m., tried to prepare for the worst. What he encountered in the westbound lane was a semi cab with small flames coming out of one corner of the the front.
In the privately owned trailer were various supplies related to ammunition and a minimal amount of anything that could actually explode.
“I got the driver and passenger, who were not injured, into my patrol truck, to wait for fire and EMS to arrive.
“The fire department put the fire out, and that really was it. It wasn’t as exciting as it was called out to be. It was only a small amount of ammunition, and the fire wasn’t anywhere close to it.”
By the time fire departments arrived from Wendover and West Wendover, the flames were even less impressive.
“The wind and rain had knocked it down,” Barton said. “When they got there it was just small flames and some smoke.
“They put foam on it to cool it down, then water to finish it off,” Barton said. “Both sides of the highway were shut down for 20 to 30 minutes, and the westbound lane was closed a little longer. And that’s about it.”
