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Tanker rolls, spills crude oil into Price River in Carbon County

Posted at 7:03 AM, Jul 13, 2018
and last updated 2018-07-14 19:13:46-04

CARBON COUNTY, Utah — An oil tanker carrying a load of crude rolled over on Hwy. 6 in Carbon County Thursday night, and the road has been closed since as workers clean up a large oil spill on the highway and in the Price River.

According to the Carbon County Sheriff's Office, the tanker entered oncoming traffic and hit a bridge in the westbound lane of Hwy. 6 near the Carbonville on-ramp.

"The first trailer was capable of transporting 8,000 gallons," Utah Highway Patrol Lt. Steve Salas said. "They estimate that approximately 5,000 gallons leaked onto the roadway surface and into the median and approximately 700 gallons did go into the river."

Hazardous materials crews placed booms at multiple locations downstream of the spill.

The Utah Department of Environmental Quality will test the water and the results will be available in 48 hours.

The good news is the spill won't impact water used in nearby towns.

"It's well below the Price water improvement district so the drinking water is not impacted," Donna Kemp Spangler with the Utah DEQ said.

The road should be cleared by Thursday night, but the river cleanup could take three days.