Tanker truck bursts in to flames
CONNELLSVILLE – Emergency personnel from 18 fire and police departments responded Thursday when a tanker truck overturned in the southbound lane of Route 119, spilling its contents and creating traffic tie-ups for several hours. The Accent Fuel Inc. driver, Wayne Bocz of Homer City, was not injured in the late-morning accident.
“I’m feeling very lucky right now,” said Bocz as he stood atop an embankment and watched as fire crews tried to douse the flames.
Bocz said he was carrying 2,000 gallons of gasoline, 2,300 gallons of kerosene and 3,400 gallons diesel fuel in the four-compartment tank from the company’s Homer City base to a customer in Uniontown when the accident took place.
The truck had traveled across the Memorial Bridge and was beginning to negotiate the sharp left curve before the Crawford Avenue/Route 201 intersection.
“I was easing around the curve and I felt the truck start to turn over,” he said. “I don’t know if a tire blew or what happened.”
After the tanker overturned onto its right side, Bocz said he saw flames that prompted his immediate exit from the truck.
Tractor-trailer driver David Grimm, 60, of Connellsville was following Bocz through the city.
“I don’t know if a tire blew out or what went on,” he said.
Grimm said he stopped briefly, but when the fuel began leaking from the tanker truck and started moving along the berm of the road toward his truck, he cleared away from the area.
Wanda Lint was preparing breakfast in her 8th Street home and watched helplessly as the tanker rolled onto its side and burst into flames.
“I didn’t know whether to jump in my car and get it out of the way or just get my still healthy body out of there,” she said.
Shortly after the truck overturned, Lint said she heard three explosions.
“The first one was the worst,” she said. “It sounded like fireworks going off.”
Billowing black smoke filled the sky as the burning fuel oil traveled from the truck alongside the berm of the road for nearly 300 feet.
Connellsville police barricaded the southbound lanes of Route 119 just after being notified of the accident, and detoured traffic through the downtown area of the city to the West Side, where motorists could again gain access to the southbound route.
“This is going to be a mess,” said Connellsville Chief Stephen Cooper as traffic began to back-up along the major artery.
Emergency personnel began evacuating residents and business workers from 50 to 60 homes and 10 businesses within a five-block radius of the scene as a precautionary measure and cutting electrical and gas service to the entire West Side.
“With the common sewer system in the area, we’d rather err on the side of safety than have anyone hurt,” said Dan Stevens, public information officer for Westmoreland County Emergency Management.
Stevens was asked to assist with keeping the media informed of the procedures that were taking place on behalf of Fayette County Emergency Management agency, he said.
The agency assisted the Fayette County emergency team, HAZMAT, the Connellsville Fire Department and the New Haven Volunteer Hose Co. along with other fire departments from throughout Fayette and Westmoreland counties at the scene.
Business owner Dom Mongell made his way toward the accident scene after electrical power was cut to his Crawford Avenue tire shop.
“I didn’t think we’d be affected,” he said.
Several shops closed for the day while others tried to maintain their businesses for customers.
Utility service was restored to the homes and businesses at about 6 p.m. after the fire department determined there was no danger to those living or working in the area.
Irwin Fire Department responded shortly after noon and began spraying a non-toxic, expanding foam along the road and over the truck to halt the flames that continued to flare for several hours.
At one point, both of the southbound lanes, neighboring properties and the truck were covered with six feet of the flame retardant, Stevens said.
While it was initially thought only the compartment containing kerosene had been breached, Stevens said later that the entire contents of the truck had spilled from the tanker. Accent Fuel workers who responded to the scene to empty the tanker made the discovery.
According to Betsy Mallison, spokeswoman for the state Department of Environmental Resources, some of fuel reached the Youghiogheny River near Yough Park before sand was brought in to block its movement.
“We’re not sure how much got in the river, but we are seeing a sheen along the river approximately one-half mile across and it is three miles down river, past Dawson,” Mallison said.
She said there was an immediate concern for aquatic life and several ducks that had gotten into the affected water.
North Fayette County Municipal Authority and the Municipal Authority of Westmoreland County water intakes were not affected by the spill, Mallison said.
“The first (water authority) that would be affected would be McKeesport,” she said.
Weavertown Environmental was called in to assist the DEP in the clean up effort.
Mallison said the firm would provide booms, boats and vacuums to clear or contain the accumulated material near Yough Park and any that had flowed downstream.
“We want to get ahead of it,” she said.
Connellsville police Cpl. Ken Jaynes said that he expected one southbound lane to be opened later in the evening, but anticipated the clean up to last into the early morning hours.