Fiery tanker crash kills 2, closes NorCal Highway in Sierra

UPDATE: 1/31/2018 3:36 p.m. Two people have been killed in a fiery crash between a pickup and a fuel tanker that shut down a stretch of U.S. Highway 20 in the Sierra from Nevada City, California to U.S. Interstate 80 about 40 miles (64.37 kilometers) west of Truckee.

California Highway Patrol Officer Chris Nave told the Sierra Sun both drivers were killed in the crash that caused the tanker to explode shortly after 10 a.m. Wednesday.

Nave said 40- to 50-foot-high (15 meters) flames prevented emergency crews from immediately reaching the wreckage.

The highway remained closed at 3 p.m. and the patrol said there’s no estimate when it may reopen. Traffic was being rerouted around the area.

Cal Fire spokeswoman Mary Eldridge told the Sun earlier reports that the flames had spread to nearby trees was not accurate.

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Firefighters with Cal Fire are on the scene preventing the spread of the flames.

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