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Rear-ended tanker carrying 8,600 gallons of gas bursts into flames near Payson, FD says

By and Jessica Johnson
Updated  July 9, 2023 9:24am MST
Wildfires
FOX 10 Phoenix

GILA COUNTY, Ariz. - A car and tanker carrying tons of gas on Friday crashed near Payson causing a massive plume of flames and black smoke on SR 87 just before 6 p.m.

The Town of Payson Fire Department says the tanker was carrying 8,600 gallons of unleaded gas when the crash happened near Oxbow Estates (milepost 244).

"The decision was quickly made to allow the gasoline to burn off and put all efforts into controlling the vegetation fire. There were no injuries to responders," the department said.

There were also no reports of injuries to drivers, fire officials say.

Tanker in Arizona hauling gas goes up in flames

A car and tanker carrying gas on July 7 crashed near Payson causing a massive plume of flames and black smoke on SR 87 just before 6 p.m. We speak with a man who was stuck in 6 hours of traffic, waiting for the gas to burn off.

The resulting wildfire - dubbed the Tanker Fire - scorched 12.5 acres. Firefighters were able to fully contain the flames by Saturday afternoon.

A man named Eric Aguiar who was driving on SR 87 when the crash happened said he and other drivers were stuck in traffic as the fire burned at least until 11 p.m.

As of Sunday, traffic can drive through the area in both directions, but there will be some delays. The northbound right lane is closed and the speed limit has been reduced between mileposts 244 and 245.

You can click here for up-to-date road conditions.

‘A dangerous situation’

"It looked like a mushroom cloud, the biggest ball of fire I’ve ever seen," Eric Aguiar said.

He was driving toward Payson on SR 87 and was just 10 miles from his camping destination when he saw the fire.

He got stuck in a traffic nightmare for about six hours and crews let the gas burn off.

"It was a dangerous situation just because of the fuel that was involved. Trying to put our resources right there with toxic smoke. We had asphalt that was smoldering," says U.S. Forest Service incident commander Beale Monday.

The guardrails started catching on fire, Monday said, making it even more difficult and dangerous for multiple responding agencies, those stuck in traffic nearby, and those who live there.

"The wildfire of course is dangerous in and of itself. Within the video you can see that black smoke which was a toxic smoke. That puts a whole lot of people in that area in danger," says Denise Croker, spokesperson for the Tonto National Forest.
 

Tanker carrying tons of gas goes up in flames

Eric Aguiar shared footage of a massive fire that broke out near Payson on July 7 on SR 87 after fire officials say a tanker carrying thousands of gallons of gas was rear-ended by a car.

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Photo by Eric Aguiar

Map of where the fire broke out: