A double trailer semi-truck was traveling southbound on I-15 at approximately midnight Aug. 3, when the right steer wheel blew causing the driver to lose control of the vehicle. According to Arizona Highway Patrol, Trooper Thomas Callister, the truck skidded along about 660 ft. of guardrail before going over an embankment. Photo by Teri Nehrenz

The call came into the Arizona Highway Patrol on Wednesday Aug. 3 at 12:18 a.m. that a truck had just gone over the guardrail on I-15 Southbound, about four miles before the Nevada Border. 

The double trailer semi-truck was traveling southbound on I-15 when the right steer wheel blew causing the driver to lose control of the vehicle. According to Arizona Highway Patrol, Trooper Thomas Callister, the truck skidded along about 660 ft. of guardrail before going over an embankment. 

A double trailer semi-truck was traveling southbound on I-15 at approximately midnight Aug. 3, when the right steer wheel blew causing the driver to lose control of the vehicle. According to Arizona Highway Patrol, Trooper Thomas Callister, the truck skidded along about 660 ft. of guardrail before going over an embankment. Photo by Teri Nehrenz

The truck’s rear trailer broke apart when it went down the cliff while the cab and front trailer teetered closely on the edge but did not go over. The driver, out of Utah, managed to escape the accident without injury; his name has not been released.

The truck’s two trailers were carrying fly ash. Fly ash, also known as “pulverized fuel ash”, is a coal combustion product composed of fine particles that are driven out of the boiler with the flue gases. 

Crews were still out working on getting the trailer back up onto the highway at 9 a.m. Large plumes of the ash could be seen for a mile as the crews were emptying the contents of the trailer before hoisting it the rest of the way up and turning it upright. Traffic, although down to one lane at the accident site, was moving smoothly and without backup.

The truck’s two trailers were carrying fly ash. Crews were still out working on getting the trailer back up onto the highway at 9 a.m. Large plumes of the fly ash could be seen for a mile as the crews were emptying the contents of the trailer before hoisting it the rest of the way up onto the highway and turning it upright. Photo by Teri Nehrenz

The MLN has no further information at this time.