Truck spills 5K gallons of liquid asphalt in Death Valley
About 5,000 gallons of emulsified asphalt and 150 gallons of diesel were spilled after a tractor-trailer crashed in Death Valley National Park on Monday.
The truck’s brakes failed while driving down Daylight Pass — Nevada’s gateway to the park. The truck crashed on the shoulder of the road near North Highway, also known as Scotty’s Castle Road, after the driver tried to downshift but failed to stop the truck, according to a National Park Service news release.
Commercial trucks are prohibited from driving on Daylight Pass due to steep grades, the park service said.
The driver of the truck was uninjured, and the trucking company is working with the park service to remove the truck’s wreckage and spill. Charges are pending for the incident, the park service said.