Officials say that a brake issue is the likely cause of a fatal semi truck crash that occurred in a California National Park on Tuesday.

The crash occurred at 2:12 p.m. on May 20 in Death Valley National Park.

A semi truck traveling on CA-190 between Stovepipe Wells and Towne Pass veered off the roadway and collided with the Emigrant Ranger Station, causing major structural damage.

The driver of the truck died as a result of the crash.

The National Park Service (NPS) stated that a brake malfunction is suspected.

CA-190 has steep grades, and semi truck brake fires have occurred frequently in the area.

The NPS reminds truck drivers that commercial trucks are not advised on CA-190 due to steep grades, and that commercial trucks are prohibited on other roads within Death Valley National Park.

The Emigrant Ranger Station, built in the 1930s, has historical significance for being the location where ranger Stan Jones wrote the song “Ghost Riders in the Sky” in 1947.

The crash closed the roadway for 22 hours as a sodium sulfate cargo and diesel fuel spill necessitated a Hazmat team response.