HANOVER, NEW JERSEY
About 3,500 gallons of leaked gasoline are still “unaccounted for” following the crash of a fuel truck Sunday morning on the ramp from Route 24 to southbound Route 287, according to the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection.
The truck overturned while negotiating the flyover ramp at about 9 a.m., according to the Morris County Office of Emergency Management, which responded to the scene along with the Morris County Hazardous Materials Response Team, NJ DEP, the New Jersey Department of Transportation and local agencies including the Parsippany District 5 Fire Department.
The truck was carrying 8,500 gallons of gasoline, according to a State Police report. DEP spokesperson Larry Hajna said Monday that it had recovered 5,000 gallons, with 3,500 gallons remaining “unaccounted for.”
Part of the recovery process will include excavation of soil where the fuel seeped, Hajna said. The area does not appear to be environmentally-sensitive, according to Hajna, but the department is still determining if any groundwater was impacted.
A contractor for NJDEP, identified as Ken’s Marine Service, was working on the cleanup Monday until cleanup responsibilities were transitioned to “the responsible party,” according Hajna. He identified the party as Reliable Carriers Inc. of Secaucus, which operated the truck.
Fuel-truck operators are required to have a cleanup contractor on call, Hajna said, but if they cannot respond in a timely manner, NJDEP steps in, bringing in its own contractors and tapping into a state “fuel fund” that will be reimbursed by Reliable Carriers.
The name of the truck driver was not available. State Police Sgt. Jeffrey Flynn said the driver was taken to Morristown Medical Center with minor injuries.
NJDOT reported that the right lane and shoulder of Route 287 south would remain closed until 3:30 p.m. as the cleanup crews continued their work.
Westbound traffic on Route 24 was detoured to Columbia Turnpike during the initial closure on Sunday. Two right southbound lanes on 287 also were closed during the response, causing significant traffic backups.
The fuel trucks will rollover like puppies if the driver is not careful in taking the turn. The sloshing fluid will make the truck very unstable, able to accommodate only a fraction of g force.
About 3,500 gallons of leaked gasoline are still “unaccounted for” following the crash of a fuel truck Sunday morning on the ramp from Route 24 to southbound Route 287, according to the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection.
The truck overturned while negotiating the flyover ramp at about 9 a.m., according to the Morris County Office of Emergency Management, which responded to the scene along with the Morris County Hazardous Materials Response Team, NJ DEP, the New Jersey Department of Transportation and local agencies including the Parsippany District 5 Fire Department.
The truck was carrying 8,500 gallons of gasoline, according to a State Police report. DEP spokesperson Larry Hajna said Monday that it had recovered 5,000 gallons, with 3,500 gallons remaining “unaccounted for.”
Part of the recovery process will include excavation of soil where the fuel seeped, Hajna said. The area does not appear to be environmentally-sensitive, according to Hajna, but the department is still determining if any groundwater was impacted.
A contractor for NJDEP, identified as Ken’s Marine Service, was working on the cleanup Monday until cleanup responsibilities were transitioned to “the responsible party,” according Hajna. He identified the party as Reliable Carriers Inc. of Secaucus, which operated the truck.
Fuel-truck operators are required to have a cleanup contractor on call, Hajna said, but if they cannot respond in a timely manner, NJDEP steps in, bringing in its own contractors and tapping into a state “fuel fund” that will be reimbursed by Reliable Carriers.
The name of the truck driver was not available. State Police Sgt. Jeffrey Flynn said the driver was taken to Morristown Medical Center with minor injuries.
NJDOT reported that the right lane and shoulder of Route 287 south would remain closed until 3:30 p.m. as the cleanup crews continued their work.
Westbound traffic on Route 24 was detoured to Columbia Turnpike during the initial closure on Sunday. Two right southbound lanes on 287 also were closed during the response, causing significant traffic backups.
The fuel trucks will rollover like puppies if the driver is not careful in taking the turn. The sloshing fluid will make the truck very unstable, able to accommodate only a fraction of g force.