Tanker truck fire leaves Muskogee Turnpike closed for hours

COWETA, Okla. (AP) -- Authorities close the Muskogee Turnpike for several hours after a tanker truck overturned and caught fire.<br/><br/>The Oklahoma Highway Patrol believes the driver of the truck hit

Monday, December 26th 2005, 9:53 am

By: News On 6

COWETA, Okla. (AP) -- Authorities close the Muskogee Turnpike for several hours after a tanker truck overturned and caught fire.

The Oklahoma Highway Patrol believes the driver of the truck hit a groove in the pavement of the highway in a construction zone and lost control of the vehicle about 6 AM Monday. The truck was carrying about 2,500 gallons of gasoline.

Traffic in the eastbound lanes of the highway was backed up for several miles.

Officials say the driver was injured but managed to get out of the wreckage safely.

Fire departments from Coweta, Broken Arrow and Tulsa responded, and officials decided it was best to allow the fire to burn.

The fire burned for five hours, until firefighters decided the rest could be extinguished. Salvage crews pulled the burned-out wreckage off the highway.