Four killed, nine wounded in crash involving milk tanker truck

A serious accident involving a tanker truck hauling milk left four people dead and nine people injured in Arizona early this morning. 

The accident happened in Phoenix on Loop 202 Red Mountain Freeway on June 10th at around 5 a.m. 

According to AZ Family News, a tanker truck hauling milk encountered some early morning congestion and was unable to slow in time. As a result, the tanker truck slammed into several vehicles stopped in the traffic and the tanker separated from the tractor before going over the concrete barrier wall. The truck then burst into flames, leaking diesel and milk product. Another vehicle caught fire in the wreck as well. 

“A total of eight vehicles, including that commercial vehicle, are involved in this collision. That tanker became separated from the truck tractor, crossed over the concrete barrier median wall into the westbound traffic lanes. That tanker came to rest on its side, and the rest of the vehicles are all here on the eastbound side,” DPS spokesperson Raul Garcia said. 

DPS says this portion of the 202E around 52nd St should reopen by 9 this morning. Crash involving 8 vehicles, kills 4 people. @FOX10Phoenix pic.twitter.com/psGocnDBxL

— Desiree Fluellen (@DesireeFox10AZ) June 10, 2021

Four people were pronounced dead at the scene of the wreck and nine people were transported to the hospital, six of them with critical injuries. 

“Traffic was congested. This vehicle [the semi-truck] was traveling at a high rate of speed – not necessarily over the posted speed limit. That’s not what we’re saying,” Garcia said.

The accident is still under investigation, but officials do not believe impairment was a factor in the wreck. 

As of 7:30 a.m., the eastbound lanes of 202 were still closed.

OPEN: The westbound lanes of the Loop 202 Red Mountain Freeway have reopened. The eastbound lanes remain closed at this time. There is no estimated time to reopen the lanes. #PHXtraffic

— Arizona DOT (@ArizonaDOT) June 10, 2021