Posted July 28, 2015
by Howard Sheppard
FRANKLIN COUNTY, Pa. –
A mandatory evacuation is in effect in downtown Chambersburg due to a fuel spill. It happened at about 4 p.m. Tuesday near the intersection of Lincoln Way West and Main street near the town square.
County dispatchers confirm that a fuel truck hit a dumpster trailer causing gasoline to leak. Emergency crews are on the scene working to contain the spill fuel. Emergency crews say some of the fuel spilled into the nearby Conococheague Creek. Officials have requested the assistance of a hazardous material team from the Letterkenny Army Depot.
Two construction workers were evaluated at the scene for minor injuries, emergency officials said.
The truck involved in the collision holds 7,500 gallons of fuel. Emergency crews estimate about 200 gallons leaked before the spill was stopped. They’re unsure how much of that made it into the creek. The Pa. Department of Environmental Protection is helping with the situation.
Officials estimate 75 residents in the area were displaced. They expect it will take another two to three hours to clean up and re-open the area to drivers.
York based Shipley Energy, which owns the fuel tanker issued the following release:
A Shipley Energy transport vehicle was involved in an accident at 3:56 pm this afternoon in Chambersburg—traveling on Route 30 West, just past the Rte. 11 traffic circle. It has been reported that the vehicle struck a construction dumpster and sustained damage to one of its rear compartments. The damage to the tank did cause a discharge of gasoline but the spill has been contained (number of gallons unknown at this time).
Local authorities were immediately contacted, including Department of Environmental Protection, as well as Shipley’s emergency response team. Our emergency response team is presently on site and will continue to be on-site to oversee clean up and offload procedures to another tanker. Keystone Petroleum, remediation experts are also on-site in support of vessel containment and oversight.
Shipley Energy is not full of it and is committed to public and environmental safety and the well-being of our team members. We appreciate the assistance from first responders in Chambersburg and will continue to provide more information as it becomes available.