WASATCH COUNTY, Utah, May 21, 2024 (Gephardt Daily) — The body of a tanker driver whose vehicle plunged into Deer Creek Reservoir Monday has been recovered from the formerly submerged truck cab, the Utah Highway Patrol has confirmed.
The victim’s name has not yet been released.
The tanker left State Route 189 near mile marker 24 at 7:12 p.m., an updated statement from Utah Highway Patrol says.
“For an unknown reason, the semi went off the road and jackknifed,” the Tuesday afternoon UHP update says. “The semi and the tanker went through a guardrail and came to rest in Deer Creek Reservoir. No other vehicles were involved.
“During the crash, the tank was ruptured, releasing propane gas into the air. Initially, the driver of the truck could not be located. The cab of the truck was submerged and the trailer was partially submerged.”
Due to the Hazmat situation, crews closed SR-189 in both directions. That closure was held overnight while the trailer continued to vent off the propane gas.
“Once Hazmat teams felt that it was safe, equipment was brought in to remove the semi from the reservoir,” the statement says.
“The adult male driver of the semi was later located deceased inside the cab of the truck as it was brought back up onto the roadway. This incident is under investigation to determine the causing factors.”
The tanker was carrying 12,000 gallons of propane, Wasatch Fire Chief Eric Hales told reporters at a morning news conference near the scene. When the guardrail tore into the tanker, about 80% to 90% of that released into the atmosphere. Precautions were taken to limit chances it would ignite, and it did not.
UHP Capt. Scott Robertson said during the morning news conference that SR-189 was expected to be closed for most of the day during the investigation and tanker recovery operation, which requires divers and heavy equipment.
Gephardt Daily will have updates, including when the roadway reopens, as more details are available.
