Tanker truck spills acid near Vernal

VERNAL — Cleanup of a tanker wreck and acid spill near Vernal is expected to take a couple of days.

The accident happened about 5 p.m. Monday. A truck carrying hydrochloric acid went off the road and 100 feet down an embankment in a remote area near the Book Cliffs, about 45 miles south of Vernal. Snow-packed roads were believed to be a factor in the accident, said Uintah County Fire Marshal Jeremy Raymond.

The tanker was carrying 2,000 gallons of acid. About 400 gallons spilled because of the accident, Raymond said.

The tanker driver and a passenger were transported to a local hospital with minor injuries.

Raymond said the cold weather worked in favor of emergency crews, keeping vapors from the acid down and preventing them from travelling far.