Crews working to clean up US 26 fuel spill; highway reopened late Tuesday

A Fremont County company is working west of Riverton Wednesday to complete cleanup efforts on a 2,500-gallon fuel spill that occurred mid-day Tuesday alongside US 26 near Diversion Dam Junction.

A westbound semi-truck pulling a pup trailer, and hauling unleaded gasoline, wandered off the north edge of US 26 late Tuesday morning, struck guardrail at the Winchester Draw bridge (milepost 99.65), crashed and began spilling fuel in the state right-of-way, said Wyoming Highway Patrol Trooper Clayton Colman.

"The truck driver failed to maintain his lane of travel, drove off the right side of the highway, hit the guardrail at the bridge and the trailers jackknifed. The westbound truck and pup trailer came to rest off the edge of the highway, facing east," Colman said.

Colman said the truck was enroute to deliver fuel at Crowheart Store.

Fire departments from Riverton, Lander and Fort Washakie responded to a 911 call from the crash location, and law enforcement responding included Wyoming Highway Patrol, Fremont County Sheriff's Office, and Bureau of Indian Affairs police. WYDOT maintenance workers from Riverton and Lander used a tractor/loader from a nearby salt/sand shed to help contain the spill in the right-of-way.

The Casper-based truck driver was treated and released with minor injuries from SageWest Health Care in Riverton.

US 26 reopened to traffic at about 11 p.m. Tuesday.

For information about this news release, please contact Wyoming Highway Patrol Lt. Travis Hauser at (307) 332-4155.