Galax,VA : Tractor-trailer crash dumps fuel into creek on February, Monday 5th 2018

A crash involving two tractor-trailers on Interstate 77 northbound at the 22.5 mile marker in Carroll County on Monday morning left a large diesel fuel spill, according to Virginia State Police First Sgt. D.L. Reedy.

A hazardous materials team was called into contain the spill and clean up a nearby creek.

At 10:10 a.m., a 2006 Freightliner, driven by Daniel Lane Smith, 56, of Lexington, N.C., was traveling north on I-77 when he lost control in an S-curve and overturned. The tractor-trailer slid into a guardrail, slid back across the road and struck a 2010 Freightliner driven by Phillip Lamar Rossi Sr., 40, of Hull, Ga. Rossi then ran off the road into the median.

The spill of diesel came from Smith’s truck, when the auxiliary fuel tank was punctured during impact, said Reedy, who responded to the scene. The Virginia Department of Emergency Management is working with the drivers’ insurance companies to remediate the cost of the lost fuel.

Musser and Carroll County Emergency Medical Coordinator Everett Lineberry oversaw the construction of an underflow barrier to contain the diesel fuel contamination to the nearby stream, and absorbent pads were placed in the leveed water until more personnel arrived with a vacuum to extract the contaminants.

According to Lineberry, further action would be taken to test soil along the I-77 medians and excavate until the hydrocarbons were no longer detected. The medians will then be refilled with fresh soil and re-seeded.

No injuries were reported from the crash; Smith’s vehicle sustained $25,000 in damages and Rossi’s vehicle sustained $15,000 in damages.

“The road is coming down a straight grade into a very sharp left hand curve; a lot of accidents happen at that location,” Reedy said.

Smith was charged with reckless driving and failure to maintain control of his vehicle.

Trooper S.M. Cochran was in charge of the accident scene. Also responding were the Hillsville Volunteer Fire Department, Carroll County Fire & Rescue and the Virginia Department of Transportation.

Source :
Tractor-trailer crash dumps fuel into creek