GATEWAY, Colo. - A tanker truck flips off a Western Slope highway and catches fire after rolling 100 feet down an embankment.
NewsChannel 5 was first on the scene.
According to the Colorado State Patrol, shortly after 6 a.m. Friday morning a tanker crashed on Highway 141 near Gateway. That's near mile marker 120.
The truck was going southbound on the highway, when the driver lost control of the vehicle, causing it to roll down an embankment into West Creek.
The tanker was filled with 6,000 gallons of diesel and 2,000 gallons of gasoline.
The truck burst into flames and though fuel appeared to have spilled, fire officials say much of it burned off in the fire.
Emergency responders were joined by hazmat crews, who contained the fuel leak to the area.
There's no word yet on just how much spilled.The driver, 37-year-old Jacinto Renteria, of Clifton, was taken to St. Mary's hospital with minor injuries.
CSP says Renteria been cited for careless driving though officials say the cause of the crash is still being investigated.
School District 51 canceled class at Gateway School Friday, after word of the accident due to delays and closures of Highway 141.
