WELLINGTON, Utah — A tanker filled with crude oil left the road it was traveling in through the town of Wellington early Monday, crashing into a home and sending multiple people to the hospital.
Just before 6:30 a.m., the tanker was heading eastbound on State Road 6 through the town when it went off the right side of the road and collided with six vehicles parked outside an auto repair shop. The tanker continued through an intersection, hitting a utility pole, fire hydrant and nearby fencing before crashing into the home.
"We heard a boom and like a pop," said resident Jan Johnson, who lives nearby.
A couple inside the home at the time were struck by the tanker and were airlifted to a nearby hospital, while their 12-year-old grandson who was asleep in the front room of the house was uninjured.
"He crashed right into a boy’s bedroom. Fortunately. the boy had fallen asleep in the living room and was safe," said Lt. Evan Kirby with the Utah Highway Patrol.
According to Castle Country Radio, a witness said the grandfather was ejected from the home during the accident.
Two people inside the tanker were also transported to the hospital in moderate and serious condition. The conditions of the couple inside the home were not made available, but none of the injuries are considered to be life-threatening.
"The semi was carrying roughly 10,000 gallons of crude oil, so we’re very grateful for what it could have been. It is what it is, and everyone’s gonna be OK," Kirby shared.
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Wellington is a town of only 1,600 residents just southeast of Price in Carbon County.
Utah Highway Patrol has yet to release any information on what caused the tanker to leave the road and crash into the home, but they believe the driver was having difficulty staying awake or fell asleep at the wheel.
"It appears from what the driver is saying that he had fallen asleep and went off the road," explained Kirby.
Monday's incident is not the first for the town, whose residents have become used to dangerous accidents in
"The trucks come right through town," explained Johnson. "We’ve had a couple incidents here. An old Mexican restaurant got plowed down a couple years ago. A guy had a boat in his yard got plowed into, too."
An investigation into the accident is underway. Utah Highway Patrol said it is too early to tell if speed was a factor along with the alleged drowsy driving.
