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Tanker truck overturns, explodes on US Route 15 in Frederick, Maryland leaving 1 dead

The north and southbound lanes on US Route 15 are closed and due to a tanker explosion in Frederick County.

FREDERICK, Md. — One person is dead after a tanker overturned and exploded on U.S. Route 15 in Frederick, Maryland, on Saturday, causing damages to multiple vehicles and surrounding homes.

Northbound and southbound lanes were closed as a result of the fire. All lanes have since been reopened as of 10:50 p.m. 

Frederick County Emergency Communications Center received multiple calls for a house fire and vehicle explosion at the 500 block of Schley Avenue, near Rosemount Avenue, around noon, Frederick County Fire and Rescue Chief Tom Coe said in a press conference

The tanker trucker had overturned while hauling "flammable liquid," and was completely engulfed in flames during the crash, Coe said. The explosion sent heavy smoke and flames into the air.

Troopers from the Maryland State Police Frederick Barrack responded to US-15 North for a report of a tanker truck that crashed into a tree and caught fire just before noon, according to MDSP.

Credit: WUSA9

Six homes and five vehicles on Apple Avenue caught on fire that originated from the tanker truck crash. The incident also led to a large brush fire along the U.S. Route 15 corridor, officials said. 

One of the homes on Apple Avenue suffered "extensive damage," and the residents of that home were displaced. The two other homes received minor fire damage. 

A second alarm was requested to bring additional resources to assist the multiple crews that were sent to bring each fire under control, Coe said. 

"Multiple vehicles and homes suffered damage from flames from the fire caused by the overturned tanker," Maryland State Police said in a statement. "No other injuries or fatalities have been reported from this incident."

Nearby drivers and residents shared photos and videos of the heavy smoke and flames from the tanker exploding. Footage showed what appeared to be a large plume of smoke darting into the air.

Firefighters had the fire under control within 40 minutes and fires were completely extinguished by the start of the afternoon press conference. 

No fire rescue personnel or residents in the homes were injured, according to Coe. The driver of the overturned tanker, whose identity has not been confirmed at this time, died at the scene. 

In a statement, Maryland Governor Wes Moore said:

“My heart goes out to those affected by this tragedy in Frederick. I am in touch with County Executive Fitzwater, Mayor O'Connor, and the City of Frederick. The Maryland Department of the Environment, State Police, Office of the State Fire Marshall, and the Maryland Department of Transportation are on the scene of this tragic accident. We are continuing to monitor the situation closely. As more information becomes available, our state agencies will update the public.”

The Montgomery County Fire Department and MDSP were at the scene assisting Frederick County Fire and Rescue personnel. 

There is no risk to the public at this time, Coe said. The Maryland Department of the Environment, the Frederick County Fire and Rescue Hazardous Materials Team, and the Frederick City Department of Public Works have been on the scene.

The hazardous materials were contained before they reached Carroll Creek, Coe said. Residue from the foam used to put out the flames is still visible in Carroll Creek but the foam used was environmentally safe. 

The state's Fire Marshal and Department of the Environment were also notified of the crash and are responding to the scene, MDSP said. Personnel of the Maryland Department of Transportation's State Highway Administration also responded and established detours around the area, officials said.

The wind did not complicate putting out the fire despite heavy winds in the area, Coe said, however, the volume of the flammable liquid in the truck was the largest complication. 

The Maryland State Police Crash Team will lead the crash investigation with assistance from troopers from the Commercial Vehicle Enforcement Division and the Traffic Incident Management team. 

The crash remains under investigation. 

This is a developing story. We are working to gather additional details. Stay with WUSA9 for the latest updates as they come in to our newsroom. 

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