A large gravel spill Wednesday caused major delays on Interstate 15 in Salt Lake County as crews hurried to clean up the mess.
The Utah Highway Patrol reported at about 12:20 p.m. that a load of gravel had spilled onto I-15 between 3300 South and 4500 South, prompting the closure of all southbound lanes.
The spill was caused when a dump truck carrying gravel suddenly opened and dropped its load onto the freeway, Utah Highway Patrol Sgt. Cameron Roden said.
No one, including the driver, was injured in the gravel spill, but Roden said several vehicles sustained minor damage from dirt and rock. By about 3:45 p.m., all southbound lanes had reopened.
The truck’s driver was not sure how the spill happened. Inspectors worked to review the driver’s equipment at the scene.
Having gravel on the road is dangerous, Roden said, noting that people swerving to avoid it — or people who hit it and lose control — can cause wrecks.
“Our biggest priority is getting that cleared out to avoid those collisions,” he said as crews worked to clear the roadway.
