Asphalt Tanker Trailer Overturns on Tulum–Cobá Highway

Tulum, Quintana Roo — The second trailer of an articulated tanker truck hauling 52,000 liters of asphalt broke loose and overturned on the Tulum–Cobá state highway near the Zazil Ha cenote, about two kilometers from the community of Macario Gómez, authorities said.

No injuries were reported and none of the cargo spilled, according to officials. The driver, who works for the company Transportes Lorm, said the semitrailer detached while he was heading from Macario Gómez toward Tulum, leaving the roadway and flipping onto its side.

Municipal transit officers, civil protection personnel and members of the Grupo Jaguar tactical unit cordoned off the area as a precaution because asphalt is flammable. After inspecting the tanker and confirming there were no leaks, officials said the remaining material would be transferred to another tanker truck before crews righted the overturned trailer.

The driver was unharmed, and no other vehicles were involved. Traffic continued to move normally during the response, though officials said the road would be temporarily closed once cranes begin recovering the trailer and fully clearing the highway.

An investigation will determine the cause of the detachment.