Overturned tanker closes Parks Highway

The Parks Highway, 80 miles north of Talkeetna is closed, likely until 8 p.m. today as a result of an overturned tanker loaded with fuel.

As a precaution, the Parks Highway is closed at mile 171.5 on the southern end to mile 184.5 on the northern end. The accident site is reported to be just beyond the Hurricane Gulch Bridge and the Honolulu Creek wayside. The driver of the truck was transported to MAT-SU Regional Medical Center with minor injuries. Alaska State Troopers report the driver as Robert Adkins, 63, of the Palmer-Wasilla area. The truck is owned by TG Services of Wasilla.

Emergency personnel from the Matanuska-Susitna Borough are staged nearby as well as the 103rd Civil Support Team, a hazardous materials team from Elmendorf and Fort Rich military bases. The 103rd happened to be driving in a caravan to a hazmat drill at Fort Greely when they came upon the scene.

The single tanker overturned just before 9 a.m. this morning. It was transporting 9,000 gallons of liquefied methane, which can be explosive. Previously the methane was venting from the tank, but wasn't venting properly. In the rollover, rocks and dirt had lodged into a vent. Employees from Fairbanks Natural Gas company removed the rock, and opened another vent. The venting is a safeguard for releasing pressure as the fuel warms and leaves its state of refrigeration.

"Because it's venting properly it'll maintain a temperature that will reduce the risk of explosion," said Ken Barkley, Acting Assistant Fire Chief for Central, in charge of the HazMat team, and on scene. The hazmat experts are determining the best way to offload the methane before righting the tanker. Fairbanks Natural Gas owns the product and has crews on scene who plan to lift the tanker with two cranes.

On-scene personnel are coordinating with the Alaska Railroad to allow the passage of three of their trains. Light winds were reported blowing away from the tracks.

Photos by Alaska State Troopers.

For more information call Public Affairs Director Patty Sullivan 745-9577.