Wednesday, May 13, 2015

150 GALLONS OF FUEL, 500 GALLONS OF MILK SPILL AFTER A TRACTOR-TRAILER TRUCK HIT A GARBAGE TRUCK ON ROUTE 422 IN KITTANNING TOWNSHIP, PA





MAY 12, 2015

KITTANNING TOWNSHIP, PA

Diesel fuel and ruptured cartons of milk coated Route 422 Tuesday afternoon after a tractor-trailer hit a garbage truck near Pine Tree Road in Kittanning Township. 

The Dean's milk tractor-trailer driven by David Rosenbaum hit the garbage truck in the rear as it was turning onto Pine Tree Road, township Fire Chief Steve Baker said. Neither Rosenbaum, nor the driver of the garbage truck, Ron Hagofsky of Kittanning Township, were injured in the crash. 

The road was closed for about an hour while cleanup of diesel fuel at the crash scene was cleaned up by the Armstrong County Hazmat Team. It was opened to one lane of traffic by about 4 p.m. 

“With all that milk, the tractor-trailer just had too much momentum behind it and wasn't able to stop before it hit the garbage truck,” Baker said. “I don't know how nobody got hurt, but we ended up with about 150 gallons of diesel fuel and 500 gallons of milk on the road.” 

Eric Horell, an admissions counselor at St. Francis University, was traveling west on Route 422 when the crash occurred. He swerved into a guard rail, which damaged the Toyota Corolla he had rented. 

“I just heard a loud ‘bang,' and reacted,” Horell said. “If I hadn't swerved out of the way, I would have hit both of the trucks head-on.” 

Trooper Kurtis Glasgow said state police have not determined if charges will be filed against Hagofsky or Rosenbaum.