Knox County evacuation order lifted, road reopens after propane truck crash

CORRYTON, Tenn. (WVLT) - First responders were in a holding pattern for several hours on Tuesday after a crashed 1,800-gallon propane truck on E. Emory Road in Knox County briefly caught fire.

A on-mile evacuation order from the Knox County Sheriff’s Office has since been lifted, Rural Metro said, as crews have righted the truck and have started unloading the propane.

It happened around 9:30 a.m. in the 9400 block of the road, according to Rural Metro Fire Captain Jeff Bagwell. The captain said a crew from the nearby Station 33 responded to the scene and began cooling off the truck’s tank.

“We were able to keep the tank cool, which is what you want. You don’t want it to overheat‚” Bagwell said; the truck’s cab had caught fire, then caught the propane gas on fire.

It didn’t take long before Rural Metro crews were able to shut off the truck’s valve, Bagwell said, most likely avoiding any explosion.

“It would have been catastrophic for this community‚” Bagwell said, adding that the truck’s driver was able to escape without injury.

As for what comes next, officials with the Tennessee Highway Patrol said it will be investigating the crash.

“Once the scene is deemed safe, THP will conduct a full crash investigation and troopers from the motor carrier plus unit will complete a HAZMAT safety inspection of the overturned truck to determine the cause and ensure compliance with transportation regulations,” THP officials said.

Rural Metro crews plan to stay at the scene until another truck comes to offload the crashed tanker, with the Knoxville Utilities Board requesting they cut power to the area.

“We want the evacuation order to stay in place until we get it offloaded,” Bagwell said. “Any time you offload propane anywhere that isn’t their facility, it can get wonky.”

Bagwell added that Corryton Elementary School, which is within that one-mile radius, sheltered in place.

The roadway was closed for several hours but reopened shortly after 5:30 p.m., according to Rural Metro.