BLACK MESA, Ariz. – A uranium ore transport truck operated by Hammon Trucking overturned Tuesday afternoon on U.S. Highway 160 near Kayenta on the Navajo Nation. The truck was empty at the time of the accident.
According to preliminary reports, the truck was traveling from Energy Fuels’ White Mesa Mill near Blanding, Utah, to the company's Pinyon Plain uranium mine near the South Rim of the Grand Canyon in Arizona when it overturned. The accident occurred around 4:20 p.m. at Milepost 368 between Shonto Junction and Tsegi.
Officers from the Navajo Nation Police Department's Kayenta District, who responded to the accident, said weather conditions in the area were a contributing factor.
“Authorities confirmed there were no hazardous materials in the cargo container at the time of the accident,” police stated in a news release. They also reassured the public that there was no threat to the community.
“The truck/trailer was empty, decontaminated, and on its return trip to Pinyon Plain Mine when it hit a patch of standing water,” Navajo Nation Environmental Protection Agency Executive Director Stephen Etsitty said. “The driver lost control of the vehicle and the truck overturned on the north side of the highway, coming to rest within the right of way.”
The driver, who was not identified, was transported to a local hospital for medical treatment, police said.
“Energy Fuels is continuing to gather relevant information; however, preliminary indications suggest that this was a single-vehicle incident resulting from a localized heavy rainfall event, including flooding on the roadway,” Curtis Moore, company spokesman, said. “The driver was transported to a local clinic as a precautionary measure.”
Energy Fuels dispatched response teams from the Pinyon Plain Mine and the White Mesa Mill, implemented emergency response procedures and notified Navajo Nation, federal, and state authorities, he said.
“We understand diesel fuel and/or other fluids from the truck were released, and a cleanup crew referred to Hammond Trucking by ADOT (Arizona Department of Transportation) will be dispatched to manage the cleanup,” Moore said. “At no time did the fuel release pose a risk to the public.”
“Energy Fuels places the highest priority on the safety of its drivers, employees, and the public, and will conduct a full root-cause investigation,” he said.
Following a minor accident involving one of its trucks earlier this year, Energy Fuels proactively initiated discussions with the state of Arizona regarding potential road safety improvements along U.S. Highway 160, where vehicular accidents are, unfortunately, a relatively common occurrence, Moore added.
Arizona Department of Public Safety and Kayenta Township Fire Department also responded to the accident.