A flash explosion involving a tanker at Flyers Energy on West Winnemucca Blvd sent one man to the hospital on Tuesday afternoon just after 4 p.m.
Winnemucca Rural Fire Department (WRFD) arrived at the Flyers petroleum plant just as the ambulance carrying the injured worker departed for the hospital. The identity and condition of the worker were not known at the time of publication.
WRFD Chief Torrey Sheen said firefighters saw what looked like smoke or fumes coming from the top of the tanker. They knew the tank contained “some kind of petroleum product,” so they closed down the eastbound lanes of Interstate 80 and all lanes of West Winnemucca Blvd for a half mile in both directions as a precaution.
WRFD dumped about 3,000 to 4,000 gallons of water on the tanker to make sure it cooled down. Firefighters climbed on top of the tanker to close the vent hole where the vapors had escaped while others on the ground stood with hoses ready in case of another explosion.
Once the tanker no longer posed a danger, the roads opened back up.
Sheen said the cause of the explosion was unknown.
