The tanker's driver, who officials did not name, pulled himself from the truck and was taken to Wyoming Medical Center with minor injuries, according to Casper Fire Department spokesman Jason Parks.
"They found him by the bridge," Parks said.
Fire officials decided to let the fuel burn off so it would not contaminate the surrounding area, Parks said. Thick black smoke moved through the sky over Casper but poses no immediate health risk to people, Parks said.
The tanker rolled into a ditch at the Highway 20-26 bypass at 9:56 p.m., according to Dr. Matt Dodds, whose office in the Wyoming Center for Sight is about 500 yards from the crash site. He called 911.
"It sounded a lot like when they're coupling the train cars out here at night but significantly louder," said Dodds.
Dodds drove around the corner and saw a person he thinks was the driver moving toward the bridge. The heat was extreme and the tanker's tires started to blow soon after.
He said firetrucks were on the scene within five minutes. Parks said six Casper Fire Department trucks, one Natrona County Fire District truck and a crash fire rescue from Natrona County International Airport were on the scene.
Casper Police and Highway Patrol soon halted and redirected all traffic on I-25.
Gary Wilson had been driving from Corpus Christi, Texas, to Helena, Mont., when he pulled off to get gas. He was turned away by police when he tried to go north again. As the highway closure dragged on he decided to get a room for the night.
At Poplar Street near the Casper Events Center, groups of friends gathered to watch the burning wreckage.
Josh Franklin heard the explosion from his house in north Casper.
"I heard the sirens so I decided to come," Franklin said while standing with several friends near the crash.
Franklin initially heard rumors the flames were from a plane crash or a gas line explosion.
By around 11 p.m. fire officials did not know how long it would take for the fire to burn itself out.
Before crews could move in and clean up and there was still lots of fuel to burn off.
"About 3 cents extra a gallon at the pumps worth," one firefighter quipped.
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