Driver dies in commercial truck crash and fire on Interstate 5 near Wilsonville.
(WILSONVILLE, Ore.) - Police responded to an explosion near Interstate 5 in the south Wilsonville area early this morning at 2:45 AM, involving a fuel laden semi truck. They say the driver, 56-year old William Neil Adams of Scappoose, Oregon, died in the crash and ensuing fire.
Fire personnel from Tualatin Valley Fire & Rescue responding to the scene found a commercial tanker truck and trailer fully engulfed in flames, about 70 feet west of the southbound lanes near trees.
A TVF&R spokesperson says crews pulled back from the blazing truck and fuel and let it burn until it was safe to approach and extinguish it. Some trees in the area reportedly caught fire.
Oregon State Police, the Clackamas County Sheriff's Office and ODOT personnel responded and closed freeway traffic in both directions with a detour established for approximately 5 1/2 hours.
After the fire was extinguished and the crash scene determined safe for troopers to begin investigating, the partial remains of the driver were found in the overturned truck.
With the assistance of Reinhard Petroleum LLC company representatives, the victim is tentatively identified as 56-year old William Neil Adams of Scappoose, Oregon.
Mr. Adams was reportedly operating a tanker truck pulling a tanker trailer loaded with approximately 10,000 gallons of unleaded gasoline.
The tankers were loaded at the Highway 30 fuel terminal in Linton and enroute to Salem.
Police say the preliminary investigation indicates that the commercial tanker truck and tanker trailer were southbound when, for an unknown reason, it drifted onto the right shoulder and onto an ice berm.
The truck and trailer continued approximately 70 feet off the freeway and overturned, catching fire.
The tanker truck and tanker trailer were extensively damaged by the fire.
OSP troopers from the Portland and Tualatin offices are continuing the investigation.
TVFR, ODOT, Clackamas County Sheriff's Office, and Clackamas County Medical Examiner's Office assisted at the scene.
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