On Saturday, a tragedy occurred in the city of Frederick, Maryland. US Route 15 became the scene of an overturned gas tanker incident and subsequent explosion, resulting in the confirmed death of the driver and a risk of house fires in the area.
The driver of the tanker was confirmed deceased by the Maryland State Police (MDSP), and fortunately, no other fatalities or injuries have been reported. The force of the explosion caused a large plume of smoke and flames to spread, and the MDSP promptly closed the highway between Route 50 and 7th Street.
The Frederick Division of Fire & Rescue Services (DFRS) were on the scene soon after the incident occurred and were quick to work to contain the situation and prevent the spreading of any fires. The city’s mayor, Michael O’Connor, declared a media staging area near the scene for reporters and asked residents to avoid the area so DFRS could focus on the task of containing the explosion. All available resources were provided to assist with the incident.
The city of Frederick is offering its sincere condolences to the family of the driver killed in the explosion, and is taking all action necessary to ensure the safety of its citizens. MDSP and DFRS are actively working together to clean up the area and mitigate any further damage. Mayor O’Connor is continuing to ask residents to stay away to allow DFRS to do their job safely and quickly.