DOÑA ANA COUNTY, NM — A crash involving a large fuel truck and a pickup on Interstate 25 left four people seriously hurt Sunday evening near Hatch, New Mexico State Police said. The fuel truck caught fire after the collision, sending emergency crews to southbound I-25 near milepost 41.
Authorities said the injured people were taken away with serious injuries, but their exact conditions have not been released. The wreck forced a prolonged closure of the interstate while responders worked to control the fire, clear the roadway and handle the fuel-related hazard.
State police respond to collision near milepost 41
New Mexico State Police said officers were called to the scene at about 6:07 p.m. Sunday. The crash involved a large fuel truck and a pickup truck on southbound I-25 near milepost 41, a stretch of highway that carries heavy traffic through southern New Mexico.
After the impact, the fuel truck caught fire. State police have not said what caused the two vehicles to crash or whether any other factors were being examined. The investigation remains underway.
Cleanup turned into an hours-long shutdown of I-25
The collision quickly became more than a routine traffic closure because of the fire and the fuel truck involved. The interstate had to stay closed so crews could complete an extensive cleanup and make the area safe for travel again.
According to the New Mexico Department of Transportation, southbound I-25 was first closed at mile marker 41 at 5:34 p.m. The interstate was then shut down from 6:32 p.m. until 10:39 p.m., leaving drivers to wait out a long disruption in the Hatch area.
Traffic during the closure was diverted to NM-187. Transportation officials did not say how long the detour affected travel, but the shutdown lasted several hours into the night.
Environmental crew called after tanker fire
The tanker company dispatched an environmental cleanup crew after the crash, reflecting the added concern that comes with a burning fuel truck. Officials did not provide details about any spill or contamination, but the response was treated as a hazardous-materials situation.
Environmental cleanup after a fuel-truck fire can involve securing the scene, removing damaged materials and checking for fuel in nearby soil or drainage areas. In this case, the cleanup work was part of the reason the road stayed closed for so long.
Multiple fire departments joined the response
Doña Ana Fire Rescue responded to the crash and was joined by crews from the Arrey Derry Fire Department and Spaceport America. Their combined response helped handle the fire and assist with the emergency scene along the interstate.
Officials have not said how long it took to extinguish the blaze or whether the fuel truck was hauling a full load. The involvement of several agencies underscores how quickly a highway crash can become a large-scale emergency when fire and hazardous materials are involved.
What is known about the four injuries and the investigation
Four people were hurt in the crash, and authorities described their injuries as serious. No additional information has been released about the victims, including whether they were in the truck or the pickup, and officials have not identified them.
New Mexico State Police said the investigation is ongoing. For now, the main facts are the location, the fire, the injuries and the long shutdown that followed, as crews worked to clear the road and secure the scene near Hatch.
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