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Gas tanker explosion shuts down Highway 99 near Selma, California
A fuel tanker carrying approximately 8,600 gallons of gasoline exploded on Highway 99 near Selma in Fresno County, California, on a Saturday morning. The incident occurred in the southbound lanes at Second Street following a collision between the tanker and a box truck.
Preliminary findings from the California Highway Patrol suggest the crash was caused by an unsafe lane change. The impact resulted in the box truck sustaining major damage and the fuel tanker becoming fully engulfed in flames. While one report mentioned a driver in critical condition, other accounts stated that both drivers involved emerged with only minor injuries.
Emergency responders, including multiple fire departments, worked to contain the massive blaze. Due to the intensity of the fire and the volume of fuel, Caltrans closed the southbound lanes of Highway 99, diverting traffic toward State Route 43 at the Floral Avenue Exit. The closure caused significant traffic backups in the region.
Entities
California Highway Patrol · Caltrans · Fresno County · Highway 99 · Selma
Claims
What the coverage asserts, and how well corroborated each claim is across sources.
- [● 2 SOURCES] The collision involved a fuel tanker semi and a box truck. pulptastic.com · nypost.com
- [● 2 SOURCES] The southbound lanes of Highway 99 near Second Street were closed. pulptastic.com · nypost.com
- [● 3 SOURCES] The fuel tanker was carrying approximately 8,600 gallons of gasoline. pulptastic.com · thegardenmagazine.com · nypost.com
- [● 2 SOURCES] The crash was caused by an unsafe lane change. pulptastic.com · nypost.com
- [● 2 SOURCES] Traffic was being diverted towards State Route 43 at the Floral Avenue Exit. pulptastic.com · nypost.com
- [● 2 SOURCES] Both drivers involved in the crash sustained only minor injuries. pulptastic.com · nypost.com