MEC&F Expert Engineers : USED COOKING OIL SPILLS AFTER CRASH ON CORNELIUS PASS ROAD IN PORTLAND, OREGON

Friday, March 13, 2015

USED COOKING OIL SPILLS AFTER CRASH ON CORNELIUS PASS ROAD IN PORTLAND, OREGON




MARCH 13, 2015

PORTLAND, OREGON

Northwest Cornelius Pass Road was closed between U.S. 30 and Skyline Road after a tanker truck rolled and spilled about 2,000 gallons of used cooking oil, according to Tualatin Valley Fire &Rescue.

A hazmat team was called in to access the situation and determine if the spill had contaminated two creeks in the area. 

"The used cooking oil flowed down approximately 100 feet of roadway and off a nearby embankment," said a TVF&R public information officer. "Firefighters were able to contain the spill to a ditch running along railroad tracks at the bottom of the canyon."

After the initial investigation, nearby waterways did not appear to be contaminated.  The oil was adsorbed onto the soil.

There were no reported injuries after the 11:45 a.m. crash.

The road was expected to be closed for several hours. Detours include Northwest Cornell Road or Germantown Road for passenger traffic. Commercial trucks should use U.S. 26 and trucks hauling hazardous cargo should use Oregon 217.
Source:www.kgw.com

As we have written numerouis times, these tanker trucks have hard time negotiating a turn because the liquid sloshes and displaces the center of gravity inside the truck.  When the center of gravity changes due to sloshing, then the driver tries to over-correct and ends up crashing the tanker truck.  Only a very careful driver, going slowly around these mountainous curves can safely negotiate them.