A tanker carrying gasoline overturned and burst into flames in Mission Valley Wednesday, sending a plume of thick smoke into the air but apparently causing no injuries or structure damage, authorities said.
The accident happened on Mission Village Road and San Diego Village Road near the entrance of Qualcomm Stadium at about 9 a.m.
A man who saw the crash while jogging in the area described seeing "two explosions (happen) simultaneously."
"And everything was just up in fire down near the stadium entrance," witness Steve Sims said. "Fuel was running down the ramp (leading) into the stadium."
The driver of the truck, 47-year-old Richard Roxas, works for Van Dik Tank Lines. He reportedly made a futile attempt to extinguish the inferno with a fire extinguisher before backing off.
"He made an evasive manuever to avoid another vehicle that cut in front of him and that's when the trailer went over," said Ron Nuckles, Roxas' boss.
The flames spread to nearby trees and bushes and forced the complete closure of Friars Road from Northside Avenue to Interstate 15 for about three hours.
"It was just an accident," San Diego Fire-Rescue Department public information officer Maurice Luque said. "The rear trailer flipped over and ignited."
The rear tank of the truck was carrying about 4,000 gallons of fuel when it caught fire, he said. The front tanker was carrying vapor, but did not on fire.
Firefighters kept a steady stream of water on the front tanker to keep it from catching fire.
Fire Chief Jeff Bowman told reporters his personnel let the fuel burn itself out, instead of trying to immediately douse it, which would cause the burning gas to escape into storm drains.
The flames were reported out shortly after 11 a.m., and Friars Road was reopened shortly before noon.
Newly sworn-in Mayor Jerry Sanders arrived on the scene about 90 minutes after the accident occurred. He said the incident served to reinforce his stance that public safety is the city's primary priority.
"This really cements it," said Sanders, who was serving his third day in as the city's chief executive.
"We'll have a fire station here in the next few weeks," the mayor said.
Last month, the City Council approved construction of a temporary firehouse in Mission Valley, not far from the stadium. A permanent facility won't be in place there for several years, officials have said.
Emergency response times in the rapidly growing and frequently congested area average at 10-plus minutes, considerably longer than the goal of no more than six minutes, according to municipal officials.
Crews arrived at the fire about nine minutes after receiving the first dispatch, Luque said.
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