Thursday, May 28, 2015

TANKER TRUCK FLIPS TO ITS SIDE, SPILLING 50 GALLONS OF FUEL IN NORCROSS, GEORGIA





A TANKER TRUCK OVERTURNED IN NORCROSS ON WEDNESDAY NIGHT. (SPECIAL PHOTO) 

MAY 28, 2015

NORCROSS, GEORGIA

Gwinnett County firefighters responded at about 9:45 p.m. Wednesday when a gasoline tanker truck overturned in Norcross.

Less than 50 gallons are estimated to have escaped from small leaks after the single-vehicle accident on Kingston Court, which is off the access road for Peachtree Industrial Boulevard, said Capt. Tommy Rutledge.

“The fire department’s hazardous materials response team was able to plug the diesel leak from the saddle tank and also worked to contain a moderate amount of gasoline runoff from the leaking tanker,” Rutledge said in a news release. 

“The driver was transported to the hospital for evaluation of a minor injury complaint.”

The gas reportedly went into grass on the roadside.

Firefighters remained at the scene awaiting a private cleanup company to upright the tanker and offload the remaining gasoline product. State environmental officials were notified of the incident by fire officials.

“There was minimal runoff in a nearby storm drain and creek bed,” Rutledge said. “Firefighters were successful at containing the runoff and kept the product from entering the waterway. Fortunately, the incident was on a side road and there was no impact to traffic on (Peachtree Industrial Boulevard).”

Only one lane of the access road was blocked by fire equipment and police vehicles.

The fire department’s hazardous materials team and one engine company was still at the scene around 2 a.m. to provide exposure protection for the cleanup company during the offloading process, Rutledge said.

The cause of the wreck wasn’t immediately clear.  However, these tanker trucks flip and rollover like puppies if the driver is not careful in making the turns or going around a curve.

Source: http://www.gwinnettdailypost.com