A collision involving a semi-tanker and an elk on Interstate 80 in Summit County led to serious injuries and a spillage of oil on the roadway early Thursday morning. According to KSL NewsRadio, Lt. Cam Roden of the Utah Highway Patrol reported that the semi, hauling a small tanker of oil, struck an elk, which resulted in the tanker overturning onto a passenger car, leaving one person in serious condition.
The impact of the crash not only endangered human lives, but it caused a significant shutdown of the westbound lanes on the interstate, as crews rushed to address the aftermath and the injured person was transported to the hospital with what were described as moderate injuries, this information was provided by Lt. Roden, as obtained by KUTV. The Utah Department of Transportation (UDOT) estimated that the closure would last until noon while the oil spill cleanup efforts were underway, and they recommended drivers use alternate routes to circumvent the closed section of I-80.
The environmental impact of the incident has prompted a response from hazardous material cleanup teams, as the collision resulted in oil being spilled onto the highway. As reported by ABC4, Lt. Roden underscored the ongoing cleanup operations and asserted that at least one lane of the interstate was expected to reopen several hours following the incident.
