The State : 99 Opens After Fuel Spill, Fire

California 99 at Turlock, about 20 miles south of Modesto, was reopened Saturday after a fire caused by a tanker-trailer carrying 7,400 gallons of jet fuel forced its closure Friday afternoon. All southbound and some northbound lanes were re-routed after the fire broke out. The fire was so hot that some concrete exploded into chucks the size of fists and left a hole in the freeway lanes. The blaze occurred after the tanker-trailer driver attempted to avoid a southbound pickup truck which had crossed the center median and collided with a car heading north. In that effort, the tanker-trailer overturned and burst into flames, California Highway Patrol officers said.