Gasoline tankers explode after truck catches fire.

Byline: The Register-Guard

ODELL LAKE - A Eugene truck driver narrowly escaped injury Thursday when the tanker truck he was driving burst into flames, forcing the closure of both lanes of Highway 58 for six hours.

Shortly before 11 a.m., a commercial truck towing two tanker trailers loaded with more than 10,000 gallons of gasoline was eastbound on Highway 58 about 18 miles west of Highway 97 when its driver, Stephen Shephard, 52, noticed smoke filling the truck's passenger compartment. The driver pulled onto the shoulder and got a fire extinguisher out as the fire began to spread.

The fire caused both tanker trailers to explode. Fire crews allowed the tanker fires to burn out and focused their efforts on the blaze that spread to both sides of the highway. The fire burned about 50 yards of lodge pole pine, extending about 200 feet east and west of the demolished truck and tankers, Oregon State Police said.

Shephard was driving for Harris Transportation.

The Oregon State Fire Marshal Haz Mat Response Team from Klamath Falls responded to the fire.

Oregon State Police troopers from the Gilchrist, Oakridge, Klamath Falls and Bend offices, and the Klamath County Sheriff's Office responded along with fire personnel from Crescent Rural Fire Department, Cascade Fire Department, Walker Range Wildland Fire and the U.S. Forest Service.