SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. – On Saturday, July 25, at approximately 7:30 a.m., two vehicles were involved in a crash on US-50 about 1.5 miles east of Ice House Rd.
No injuries were reported to the California Highway Patrol (CHP) as a result of this crash.
The crash involved a Toyota 4-Runner and a Freightliner box truck which collided head-on. The crash caused the “saddle tank” of the Freightliner to become detached from the truck, drawing safety concerns. This tank did not contain diesel and instead contained Compressed Natural Gas, a common motive fuel for trucks and buses throughout the nation. The gas is not 100 percent identical to pure methane, but it consists primarily of methane, mixed with other gases.
The tank was not ruptured. A technician with the trucking company responded and made the tank safe for transportation from the scene. Once this was complete, the road was cleared.
Intermittent one-way traffic control and full closures on US-50 were in place from the time of the crash to just after 12:30 p.m.
Caltrans assisted CHP in the traffic control. El Dorado County Fire Protection District also assisted in the safety of the scene during the operation.