SANTA FE (AP) -- State police shut down Interstate 25 in both directions near La Cienega, just south of Santa Fe, after a gasoline tanker truck drifted off the highway and exploded Wednesday, killing the driver.
Traffic was rerouted to the frontage roads after the crash about 4:20 a.m., and it was after the morning rush hour before police reopened part of the highway, said state Department of Public Safety spokesman Peter Olson.
Northbound lanes remained closed during the evening rush hour, but Olson said workers hoped to have at least one lane open by nightfall. He said the road would likely close again after rush hour Thursday morning so that crews could continue cleaning the area and checking the integrity of the road.
The northbound truck drifted off the road, hit the median and rolled a couple of times before exploding near the National Guard complex in south Santa Fe, Olson said.
The driver was identified as Roger Harris, 46, of Albuquerque. He was the only person in the truck.
The explosion was ''felt for quite a distance,'' and flames were reported 100 feet high, he said. It took members of five volunteer fire departments an hour to get the fire under control.
The tanker was carrying 7,500 gallons of gasoline and 1,000 gallons of diesel, Olson said.
No other vehicles were involved and no other injuries were reported.
Copyright 2005 Associated Press
