Anchorage Daily News

The main road link between Alaska's two largest cities was reopened early Tuesday, a day after the crash of a truck tanker carrying 9,000 gallons of liquefied methane, Alaska State Troopers said.

A hazardous-materials team on its way to a drill happened upon the overturned tanker Monday on the Parks Highway.

Methane is highly explosive and transported under pressure in refrigerated tanks.

A crew from the owners of the methane, Fairbanks Natural Gas, a utility in Fairbanks, removed rock that that jammed a vent acting as a safety valve on the trailer.

"Because it's venting properly it'll maintain a temperature that will reduce the risk of explosion," said Ken Barkley, an acting borough assistant fire chief and the on-scene official in charge.

The semi pulling the tanker trailer rolled just before 9 a.m. at Mile 179 and emergency authorities closed the highway.

The cause of the crash was not known.

Patty Sullivan, spokeswoman for the Matanuska-Susitna Borough, said the incident occurred just north of Hurricane Gulch Bridge, a 550-foot span that rises 260 feet above Hurricane Creek. A parking lot at the remote bridge is a frequent stop for road travelers with cameras.

The bridge is about 80 miles north of Talkeetna and about 58 miles south of the entrance to Denali National Park and Preserve.

The truck is owned by TG Services of Wasilla.

The driver, Robert Adkins, 63, was able to escape from the cab. He was transported to Mat-Su Regional Medical Center with what Sullivan said were minor injuries.

Authorities closed the highway at Mile 171.5 on the southern end and Mile 184.5 on the northern end.

The Alaska Railroad, whose tracks are within a mile of the highway, halted north- and southbound trains for part of the day.

The 103rd Civil Support Team, a hazardous materials team from Elmendorf Air Force Base and Fort Richardson Army Post, happened to be driving in a caravan to a hazardous materials drill at Fort Greely in Delta Junction and came upon the scene.

The semi leaked diesel but there was no indication that the methane tank was damaged or punctured.

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