On March 17,
2026, the Pueblo County Sheriff’s Office notified the EPA's National Response Center
of a crash on Interstate 25 that
resulted in the rollover of a tanker truck
carrying an estimated 8,000 gallons of gasoline. An unknown amount of gasoline
was released from the tank onto the highway and into a storm drain directly
underneath the punctured tanker, with discharge reaching the Arkansas
River. The local fire department plugged the punctured tank and
constructed an earthen dam to prevent the gasoline from entering another nearby
storm drain.
At this time, there are no impacts to the local municipal
water systems. One drinking water intake was closed as a precaution. An EPA
On-Scene Coordinator (OSC) was deployed shortly after receiving the report and
is currently on site working with state and local agencies to respond to the
spill. The tanker truck was removed from the highway the morning of March 18
and all lanes were opened. Sorbent boom was placed in the Arkansas River to
mitigate impacts from the discharge.
