Deadly fuel truck accident shuts Slovenia’s key motorway

One person died and two others were injured as a fuel truck overturned and went up in flames on the A1 motorway between Ljubljana and Maribor near Slovenska Bistrica in the northeast of Slovenia.

According to information from the police, the accident happened at around 8 am on 15 January, CE Report quotes The Slovenia Times.

The tank truck driver, headed in the direction of Maribor, lost control of the vehicle, crashed into the rail between the carriageways, and flipped onto the opposite carriageway, where a van crashed into it.

In the collision, the truck exploded and both vehicles went up in flames. The police said the person who died at the scene was the van driver who remained trapped in the vehicle. The two people injured are believed to be the truck driver and the sole fellow passenger in the van.

It is as yet unclear why the tanker driver lost control of the vehicle.

A tall column of black smoke could be seen billowing from the crash site and the sound of the blast could be heard in most of Slovenska Bistrica, local media reported.

The fire was put out shortly after 10 am. David Prelog, the commander of the local fire brigade, told reporters that around 80 firefighters were involved in the effort.

"We managed to bring the fire under control quickly, but the situation on the ground was dangerous, as there were more than 30,000 litres of diesel fuel in the tank."

They put out the fire with foam, which prevented the fuel from evaporating. Prelog said he did not expect major impact on the environment. The site is not in a water protection area, and oil interceptors are fitted along the motorway.

Fuel retailer Petrol confirmed the tank truck involved in the accident belonged to a contractor transporting fuel for them.

The motorway will remain closed for a longer period of time as services deal with the crash site, according to the Road Traffic Information Centre.

The centre warned congestion was building along alternative routes, and motorists must expect significant delays. A diversion through Croatia is advised for cargo transport.

Preliminary police statistics show Slovenian roads claimed 95 lives last year.

Photo: Gregor Mlakar/STA