Gasoline Truck’s River of Fire Burns 4 Homes

Gasoline from a wrecked tanker truck ignited early Wednesday, creating rivers of fire that streaked through an affluent section of this Sacramento suburb, burning four homes, blowing up the truck and forcing the evacuation of 300 residents.

Only three people were hurt--all with minor injuries--despite the blazing torrent that flowed down open culverts and into covered drains, where secondary explosions blew off manhole covers and spewed fire over a wide area. Witnesses described 100-foot tall ribbons of flame rising from the open ditches, igniting houses, fences and parked vehicles.

“The creek behind us caught fire and we grabbed the kids and ran. Manholes down the street were exploding and flying off. You could feel the rumble follow us up the street. It was strange,” said resident Lisa Daum.

An eyewitness said the driver of the truck, which carried 8,400 gallons of gasoline, was speeding about 3 a.m. and lost control on a sharp curve of Fair Oaks Boulevard, a major artery connecting Sacramento and its rapidly expanding northeastern suburbs, according to California Highway Patrol spokesman Bob Carlson.

Gasoline poured from the truck, flowed into storm ditches behind a row of houses, then ignited, setting homes ablaze. The flames also roared back to the truck, which exploded in a fireball in front of firefighters, police and the driver, who had climbed out of the wreckage.

“We were asleep in our apartment and heard stuff blowing up outside. We looked out and it was cars exploding in a parking lot,” said Michelle Sumrall, who fled in her bathrobe. “It looked like the Fourth of July.”

“I couldn’t figure out what was going on,” said resident Jeff Smith. “It looked like a war zone.”

Another resident, Lisa McCullum, said she heard the impact of the truck overturning and, when she looked out her window, “the fumes were so strong they burned your eyes.”

She said she and her husband heard the truck explode “like a sonic boom,” as they ran from the area and saw a wall of flame 60 to 100 feet high.

Two homes were destroyed and two others were damaged. More than 100 firefighters used water and foam to keep dozens of spot fires away from other homes. The average house in the neighborhood is valued at about $250,000.

A convalescent hospital, several apartment complexes and a two-square-mile area of homes were evacuated. A Red Cross shelter was set up at a nearby high school.

Carlson identified the tanker driver as John David Parker, 35, of Sacramento. He was not arrested. The truck is owned by Calzona Tankways Inc. of Phoenix.

In the explosion and fire, Parker got a bump on his head, one firefighter suffered heat exhaustion and a woman resident was treated for respiratory problems and heart palpitations, authorities said.

“It was absolutely amazing that there weren’t more injuries. It’s extremely lucky there wasn’t a major medical catastrophe here,” Plessas said.

Battalion Chief Dennis Plessas of the American River Fire Protection District said more than 300 people were evacuated.

By afternoon, the flames had been extinguished and about half the evacuated residents had been allowed to return to their homes. Electricity remained off in the area to reduce the risk of more fires.

The crash site was about 3 1/2 miles east of the home of Gov. Pete Wilson. Many state legislators also live in the area. One of them, Assemblyman Richard Katz (D-Sylmar), used the accident to lobby against pending trucking legislation.

Katz, chairman of the Assembly Transportation Committee, told reporters at the site that Atlantic Richfield Co. is proposing to increase the length and height of gasoline trucks.

“These trucks are unstable already,” Katz said. “It would increase the chances of something going wrong.”