Southbound I-35 in Olathe reopens after tanker truck fire
A tractor-trailer that was hauling diesel fuel caught fire on Interstate 35 in Olathe early Thursday, forcing officials to close southbound I-35 near Old 56 Highway, according to police.
The highway, which had been expected to be closed into the morning’s rush hour, reopened several hours later after the tanker truck’s cargo was off-loaded. None of the diesel fuel the tanker was carrying was involved in the fire, according to the Olathe Fire Department.
Olathe police and fire department responded to the fire about 1:15 a.m. Thursday. The truck was headed south when the rear axle of the tanker caught fire. The driver pulled the truck to the side of the highway near Old Highway.
Firefighters extinguished the fire without incident, however, the highway remained closed while about 3,000 gallons of fuel was off-loaded and debris was cleared, according to the fire department. A minimal amount of diesel leaked from the rear “bulkhead” of the trailer, which was above the fire location.
During the closure, traffic was being rerouted onto Old 56 Highway. There was concerns the closure would affect the morning commute.
The highway reopened shortly after 6 a.m.
This story was originally published February 27, 2020 at 7:04 AM.
