ST. GEORGE — A semitractor-trailer caught fire during a crash on northbound Interstate 15 in Washington County Wednesday, a blaze that closed all northbound lanes for nearly three hours as multiple agencies tended to the chaotic scene.

Shortly before 11 a.m., officers and emergency personnel responded to a single-vehicle crash involving a semitractor-trailer on northbound I-15 near mile marker 33, roughly nine miles south of Kanarraville in Washington County. The semi caught fire within seconds of the crash.

Utah Highway Patrol Sgt. Cameron Roden told St. George News the semi was heading north on I-15 when the driver drifted to the right and struck the concrete barrier. The cab started to flip over the barrier, while the trailer became lodged on top of the concrete that ran between the trailer’s axles and remained “high-centered,” he added.

The trailer slid down the barrier for more than 75 yards, while the cab remained connected and was dragged along with it. Friction caused the front of the trailer to catch fire, which spread quickly to the cab which was fully engulfed in flames within minutes.

Both occupants crawled out of the cab on their own before the semi caught fire. The passenger sustained moderate injuries in the crash and was transported to St. George Regional Hospital for evaluation and treatment, Roden said, while the driver reported minor injuries but declined transport.

Roden said the driver told troopers he was heading north along the interstate when he started choking, causing him to black out momentarily. The semi started drifting to the right and continued off the roadway where it struck the concrete barrier, which flipped the cab and sent the attached trailer down the barrier. The trailer sustained heavy damage, while the cab was completely destroyed in the blaze.

A traffic alert was published by St. George News shortly before noon advising that all three northbound lanes of I-15 were closed to allow responders to tend to the scene and traffic was diverted at exit 33. After the northbound side was closed for more than three hours, both travel lanes were reopened for travel shortly after 2 p.m.

The Utah Highway Patrol, the Washington County Sheriff’s Office, the Utah Division of Forestry, Fire and State Lands, the Hurricane Valley Fire District, the Washington City Fire Department, the New Harmony Fire Department and Utah Department of Transportation’s incident management team responded to the scene.

This report is based on statements from police, emergency personnel or other responders and may not contain the full scope of findings. 

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