Woman dies following chemical explosion on Highway 59

GILLETTE, Wyo. — A woman died Saturday following a chemical explosion at an industrial site on Highway 59 near mile marker 78, according to the Campbell County Sheriff’s Office.

The woman was identified on April 14 as 47-year-old tanker operator Denice Downing, who was at the site on April 12 to transport a mixture of hydrochloric acid and water that was being pushed down a well, according to Sheriff’s Office Investigations Cpl. Josh Knittel.

Downing was sitting in the tanker’s cab when workers heard what they believed was a chemical reaction and observed building pressure. The workers were evacuating the area when the tanker exploded, splitting the vehicle in half and sending it a hundred feet apart, per Knittel.

Campbell County Coroner Paul Wallem said Downing was killed instantly in the blast and that an autopsy has been scheduled for the coming days to determine an official cause of death.

Another worker was near the tanker when it exploded; however, the worker was not injured. The damage was reportedly contained to the tanker and a nearby flatbed work truck, per Knittel.

Investigators are still determining what caused the explosion, though one possibility is that the tank contained residue from another chemical that reacted with the hydrochloric acid, Knittel said, adding that he won’t know for sure until additional testing is completed.