Oil tanker explosion: Fuel tanker truck bursts into flames on Detroit highway

Описание: Originally published on 24 May, 2015

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DETROIT — A massive fire was triggered in Detroit after a tanker tipped over on an interstate highway Sunday morning, according to various local reports.

The fuel tanker truck was travelling along Interstate 75 in downtown Detroit and was reportedly carrying 9,000 gallons of unleaded fuel, according to local station WXYZ.

The vehicle reportedly suffered mechanical problems and overturned at around 9 a.m., according to the report which cited investigators.

Following a crash, the truck exploded and next caught fire.

There have been no reports of any injuries and the driver reportedly escaped unharmed.

The explosion and the ensuing fire, which shut down a stretch of the interstate, sent plumes of smoke so thick they could be seen miles away, as far as neighboring Windsor, Ontario, into the air.

Despite the efforts of firefighters who were able to extinguish the blaze by 10 a.m., some of the fuel is believed to have made its way into the city's sewer system.

City authorities, however, say the accident does not represent a threat to Detroit's drinking water.

“Our wastewater treatment plant is superbly equipped to handle all hazards that come through our sewer system,” said Detroit Water and Sewerage spokesperson Curtrise Garner on a local radio station.

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