One dead in tanker fire that forced closure of I-90 west of Spokane

At least one person is dead after a tanker trailer filled with diesel fuel burst into flames Thursday morning when the driver lost control and the vehicle rolled on Interstate 90, forcing the closure of the highway.

Crews located the victim in the cab of the vehicle and believe the person is the driver, said Spokane County Fire District 3 Fire Chief Cody Rohrbach. Officials are working to identify the deceased based on paperwork found at the scene.

Crews still were working to confirm the company associated with the tanker and rule out if another person was in the vehicle, though nothing points to this, Rohrbach said.

The cause is still under investigation. Drugs or alcohol were not involved, according to a Washington State Patrol release.

The crash happened about 8:15 a.m. on eastbound I-90 between the Four Lakes exit and Salnave Road. Washington State Patrol closed both sides of the freeway. The highway was completely open by 3:30 p.m. Thursday.

Firefighters still were fighting the blaze around noon. Crews also were working to remove another semitruck that crashed as the driver tried to evade the tanker.

The other driver was uninjured, Rohrbach said. The trailer of that semi came to a stop perpendicular to the highway and blocking both lanes of eastbound traffic, while the cab settled in the shoulder.

The Spokane Fire Department, Spokane County Fire District 3, Airway Heights Fire Department and crews from Fairchild Air Force Base responded to the fire. The city of Spokane hazmat team and state Department of Ecology were also called to the scene to provide support and expertise to responding crews, to ensure “clean up meets state standards to protect public safety and the environment,” wrote Jessica Kulaas, spills program communications manager with the department.

Eastbound traffic was being diverted at Salnave Road.