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Frederick County Fire Chief Tom Coe said that at around noon on Saturday, March 4, the agency received reports of a house fire in the 500 block of Schley Avenue before immediately taking in calls regarding a vehicle explosion in the area.
Upon arrival, crews found a large tanker in flames, which had spread to three area homes near Apple Avenue and also caused a brush fire, Coe said, prompting a second alarm, and calls to additional agencies for backup, reportedly including a foam unit from Dulles Airport.
More than 100 firefighters had the fire under control within 40 minutes, and largely were able to contain the damage and spread of hazardous materials in the area.
Officials say that the driver of the tanker truck - whose name has not been released - was pronounced dead from the crash and fire. No injuries were reported by any residents or first responders.
One house suffered extensive damage in the fire and is uninhabitable, according to Coe, while two others sustained what he described as “superficial” damage to their exteriors from the heat.
According to officials during a press conference on Saturday afternoon, there was no damage to the environment, none of the contaminants made their way to Carroll Creek, and foam used to help contain the flames was environmentally friendly.
Frederick Mayor Michael O’Connor called Saturday “a scary day,” that was “rapidly moving,” though he praised the first responders who helped mitigate possible tragedy.
“The agencies you see here today represent the best of what our county does when faced with a tragedy and a challenge,” he said. “My thoughts are with the family of the driver and the residents who were affect by the fires that followed this accident.
“But, because of the response, this was not a worse incident, and I’m thankful for the quick coordination and courage of our first responders.”
The crash led to lengthy lane closures of the northbound lanes of Route 15 on Saturday to allow for crews to investigate and clean up the scene. Southbound lanes were temporarily closed and later reopened, while some nearby roads were also shut down due to the investigation.
Officials said that the cause of the crash remains under investigation, as does the contents of the tanker, though Coe said that they believe it to be a "commonly carried flammable liquid in the line of gasoline or diesel fuel."
The incident is now being investigated by a Maryland State Police Crash Reconstruction Unit, which is expected to release additional information on Saturday.
This is a developing story. Check Daily Voice for updates.
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