Governor Wes Moore’s Statement on the Tanker Explosion in Frederick

Governor Wes Moore released the following statement on the tanker explosion in Frederick:

“My heart goes out to those affected by this tragedy in Frederick.

I am in touch with County Executive Fitzwater, Mayor O’Connor, and the City of Frederick.

The Maryland Department of the Environment, State Police, Office of the State Fire Marshall, and the Maryland Department of Transportation are on the scene of this tragic accident.

We are continuing to monitor the situation closely.”​

The fatal tanker truck crash occurred Saturday afternoon in Frederick County. According to Maryland State Police, “Shortly before noon, troopers from the Maryland State Police Frederick Barrack responded to US-15 North, approximately a half mile north of Rosemont Avenue, for a report of a tanker truck that crashed into a tree and caught fire.

The driver of the tanker truck, whose identity has not been confirmed at this time, was declared deceased at the scene. According to a preliminary investigation, six homes and five vehicles suffered damage from the fire that originated from the tanker truck crash. No other injuries or fatalities were reported as a result of the crash or the subsequent fires. US-15 was temporarily closed in both directions following the crash. The southbound lanes were reopened by 2:30 p.m., while the northbound lanes will remain closed for several hours.

The Maryland State Police Crash Team will lead the crash investigation with assistance from troopers from the Commercial Vehicle Enforcement Division and the Traffic Incident Management team. The Office of the State Fire Marshal and the Maryland Department of the Environment were notified and responded to the scene as well. Personnel from the Maryland Department of Transportation’s State Highway Administration also responded and established detours around the area. The crash remains under investigation.”