Photos courtesy Vermont State Police.
Risk of explosion decreases as propane tanker fire continues to burn in Irasburg
Vermont AOT & State Police A propane tanker that went off Vermont Route 14 early Monday morning and caught fire in the Black River continues to burn this afternoon.
Inspection of the vehicle by drone has revealed a puncture in the side of the 10,000-gallon liquid propane gas tanker, significantly reducing the possibility of a catastrophic explosion. As a result of damage to the tanker, the fire likely will continue to burn until the propane has been exhausted.
Vermont State Police said late Monday afternoon that evacuations and road closures are expected to remain in place overnight as a propane tanker continues to burn after going off Vermont Route 14 and into the Black River.
Crews on scene are continuing to monitor the blaze and take steps to reduce the likelihood of an explosion. An evacuation zone with a one-mile radius from the crash site will remain in effect while the fire keeps burning.
The American Red Cross is opening an evacuation shelter at 5:30 p.m. at Irasburg Town Hall. The Vermont Agency of Human Services also is coordinating with the Red Cross. Parents of students at the two schools within the evacuation zone — Coventry Village School and New Hope Bible School — should contact administrators Tuesday morning regarding the status of classes.
Multiple road closures and a one-mile evacuation zone around the site of the crash remain in place. For those who have been evacuated, warming centers have been established at the Irasburg Town Hall and the Newport City Municipal Building.
Representatives of the Vermont State Police, Vermont Department of Motor Vehicles Enforcement and Safety Division, Vermont Hazardous Materials Response Team, and the Irasburg Fire Department will be available to speak with the media at 3 p.m. Monday at the VSP barracks in Derby, located at 35 Crawford Rd.
***Initial news release, 10:55 a.m. Monday, Dec. 4, 2023***
Multiple roads are closed, and evacuations are taking place in Irasburg and Coventry after a propane tanker crash and subsequent fire.
WPTZ:
At about 6:50 a.m. Monday, Dec. 4, 2023, the propane tanker went off the Vermont Route 14 bridge over the Black River in Irasburg and caught fire. The fire was still burning as of 10:30 a.m. Safety mechanisms in the vehicle were damaged in the crash, increasing the possibility of an explosion instead of controlled off-gassing of the propane.
The Vermont Hazardous Materials Response Team has been activated, and an expert is en route to the scene from Concord, New Hampshire.
No injuries have been reported, including to the driver of the tanker.
There are multiple road closures in the area including:
- Vermont Route 14 in Irasburg.
- Vermont Route 58 in Irasburg.
- Alderbrook Road and Vermont Route 14 in Coventry.
- U.S. Route 5 and Vermont Route 14 in Coventry.
A one-mile perimeter around the site of the crash has been established, and local fire departments are conducting evacuations within this radius. Two schools inside this zone, the Coventry Village School and the New Hope Bible School, have dismissed children early to go home. The VT ALERT system has been activated to send public safety messages to people in the area.
Road closures are expected to continue for a significant time. Members of the public should avoid the area and seek alternate routes.
The crash of this commercial motor vehicle is being investigated by the Vermont Department of Motor Vehicles Enforcement and Safety Division. First-response agencies on scene include DMV Enforcement, the Vermont State Police, the Orleans County Sheriff’s Department, the Vermont Hazardous Materials Team, and fire departments from Derby Line, Irasburg, Newport and Orleans.
SUBJECT: Commercial Motor Vehicle Crash
DATE / TIME OF INCIDENT: 12/04/2023
INCIDENT NUMBER: 23MV011051
TYPE OF EVENT(S): Commercial Motor Vehicle transporting propane into the Black River and on fire.
LOCATION OF EVENT(S): VT Route 14 Irasburg, approximately 1/2 mile south of the junction with US Route 5.
INVESTIGATING INPECTOR(S): Inspector Jacobs, Inspector Lindor, Corporal Hailey ASSISTING AGENCIES: Vermont State Police, Orleans County Sheriff's Department, Irasburg FD, Newport FD, Orleans FD, Derby Line FD, Vermont Hazardous Materials Team
SUMMARY: On 12/04/23/2023 at approximately 0650, DMV Enforcement and Safety Division responded to a commercial motor vehicle (CMV) crash. The commercial vehicle, a tractor trailer unit loaded with propane, had gone off VT 14, crashed into the Black River, and caught fire. When DMV Enforcement arrived at the scene, EMS was evaluating the operator of the commercial vehicle. Due to the potential for secondary explosions, rescue personnel were moved back 1 mile and began evacuation of residents in the area. The cause of the crash and recovery of the CMV are ongoing. Road closures are expected to last an extended period of time.
As of 1:20 p.m. on 12/04/23:
CLOSED: VT 14 in Irasburg between VT 58 and US 5
UPDATES WILL BE PROVIDED AS DETAILS ARE AVAILABLE.
MOTORISTS SHOULD EXPECT DELAYS AND SEEK ALTERNATE ROUTES AND DRIVE SLOWLY.
Source: 12.4.2023. Vermont Agency of Transportation, Barre vtrans.vermont.gov
