AMERICAN FORK — A truck carrying five five-gallon containers of chlorine dioxide caught on fire near 700 North and 100 East in American Fork Tuesday afternoon, giving residents a scare.
Lt. Darren Falslev of the American Fork police said the truck caught on fire while it was moving.
Crews quickly arrived on the scene to contain the fire and keep residents from entering the accident scene.
"There are so many things these chemicals can do," Falslev said. "If you mix the chlorine dioxide with water it becomes a gas, which is potentially dangerous."
Chlorine dioxide is a bleach-scented pesticide that is used to control harmful bacteria, fungi or viruses and can also be used as a cleaning agent.
The quad-cab pickup truck was headed north on 100 East when the camper shell caught fire, witnesses said. The fire was followed by an explosion that blew out all of the windows of the camper shell, leaving glass on the street, said Lt. Andy Hale.
A number of witnesses made 911 calls to report the fire and explosion.
To put out the fire, Falslev said crews used foam instead of water to avoid creating a chlorine gas out of the oxidizing substance.
Hazardous material experts from the Utah County Sheriff's office reported to the scene and assessed the situation.
The woman driver managed to get out of the vehicle safely, Hale said.
T.W. Environmental Services, a private hazardous material company from Layton, dispatched a crew to finish the clean-up and ensure the area was chemical free. The crew arrived at the scene just before 7 p.m. and began the clean-up process by sending in a robot to scan for any remaining traces of the chemical in the bed of the vehicle. They were expected to be on site for about two hours.
"The fiberglass camper was completely melted down, and the vehicle is pretty much consumed," said Hale.
The area on 100 East between 600 North and 700 North along 100 East was closed during the clean-up operations to protect residents.
No other vehicles were involved, and no residents were injured during the incident, which took place between the American Fork Cemetery and a wooded field.
The truck was transporting the chlorine dioxide for a small business that uses the chemicals for cleaning, Hale said.
Police said chemists are still trying to determine the chain of events that sparked the fire.
E-mail: thollingshead@desnews.com