Two rollovers block I-80, bring hazmat crews Tuesday

Around 3 p.m., a semi-truck that rolled over on a curved stretch of Westbound I80 and caught fire. Black smoke began filling the canyon, and photos from emergency crews showed the truck completely burned down to an empty shell a short while later.

Photos appeared to show no other vehicles involved in the semi crash. Utah Highway Patrol spokesman Cameron Roden said early reports indicated that the truck was carrying organic peroxide, which is highly flammable.

At 6 p.m., crews estimated the wreckage would take six hours to clear. The crash closed I80 in both directions, around the same time that another rollover – on Eastbound I80 - between Silver Summit and Kimball Junction shut down two lanes of traffic.

Roden said that crash involved two vehicles and minor injuries.

Between the two incidents, traffic quickly hit gridlock on all alternate routes, and officials urged people to avoid the area and plan alternate routes.