Sulfur Spilled in Truck Crash Ties Up I-15

BARSTOW, Calif. — A double-tanker truck overturned and exploded Wednesday, spilling about 4,000 gallons of a hazardous sulfur compound and temporarily blocking Interstate 15, authorities said.

Motorists stopped by the accident 90 miles northeast of Los Angeles were evacuated because of irritating but non-poisonous gases thrown off by the fire, San Bernardino County Fire Department Capt. Tom Andreas said.

No one was injured in the accident, which occurred shortly before 2 a.m. Only one of the trailers carrying 26,000 pounds, or 4,200 gallons, of the molten sulfur burned.

The accident occurred as truck driver Martin Espinoza, 21, of North Hollywood, traveled south toward Los Angeles from a coal gasification plant near Daggett, California Highway Patrol Officer Richard Hostetler said.

Espinoza told authorities he jammed on his brakes when he noticed the rear trailer of his rig whipping around, causing the back trailer to overturn, CHP Officer Jim Roden said. Cause of the accident remains under investigation, and Espinoza wasn’t cited, Hostetler said.

The fire burned for several hours and motorists were routed along alternate routes between Barstow and Victorville.

Both northbound lanes and one southbound lane of the highway, the main road linking Los Angeles and Las Vegas, were reopened to traffic by 1:30 p.m. All lanes were opened at 5 p.m.