Stolen Tank Leads to Diesel Spill in Washington County
By: Marissa Stevens, KNWA-TV, Fayetteville
Updated: January 22, 2013
A HazMat fuel spill near Elkins (Washington County) Tuesday morning, took a bizarre turn.
The Elkins Fire Department was called to the scene around 4:30 for a diesel spill.
The Fayetteville Fire Department and HazMat crew made their way to the town of Durham, to assist in the cleanup. When crews arrived, they found a 300 gallon diesel tank in a ditch along Highway 16.
"Approximately two-thirds of the contents of the tank leaked out into the ditch. We dammed it up with dirt and booms and pads and oil dry," said Elkins Fire Chief J.D. DeMotte.
Responders temporarily shutdown the westbound lane of the highway, while they worked to remove the remaining fuel from the ditch.
"As cold as it is, it's pretty sluggish and it's down in the ditch so the flashpoint is pretty low... Not a lot of danger right now," Chief DeMotte said.
While on scene, Chief DeMotte learned there was an interesting twist to the story.
"A local farm had a trailer stolen, that had a 300 gallon diesel tank full of diesel on it. The guys working at the farm were coming to work and they seen him leaving out of the farm with it. It came loose from the truck that stole it, when it crossed the bridge here the trailer went into the ditch, ruptured the tank, spilling the diesel fuel out into the ditch," he explained.
The failed attempt to steal a diesel tank, ended in a slow start for some early morning commuters.
Crews will be taking the fuel to a landfill to dispose of it properly.
Elkins Police Department and Washington County officials are working to track down the driver of the truck.
The Elkins Fire Department was called to the scene around 4:30 for a diesel spill.
The Fayetteville Fire Department and HazMat crew made their way to the town of Durham, to assist in the cleanup. When crews arrived, they found a 300 gallon diesel tank in a ditch along Highway 16.
"Approximately two-thirds of the contents of the tank leaked out into the ditch. We dammed it up with dirt and booms and pads and oil dry," said Elkins Fire Chief J.D. DeMotte.
Responders temporarily shutdown the westbound lane of the highway, while they worked to remove the remaining fuel from the ditch.
"As cold as it is, it's pretty sluggish and it's down in the ditch so the flashpoint is pretty low... Not a lot of danger right now," Chief DeMotte said.
While on scene, Chief DeMotte learned there was an interesting twist to the story.
"A local farm had a trailer stolen, that had a 300 gallon diesel tank full of diesel on it. The guys working at the farm were coming to work and they seen him leaving out of the farm with it. It came loose from the truck that stole it, when it crossed the bridge here the trailer went into the ditch, ruptured the tank, spilling the diesel fuel out into the ditch," he explained.
The failed attempt to steal a diesel tank, ended in a slow start for some early morning commuters.
Crews will be taking the fuel to a landfill to dispose of it properly.
Elkins Police Department and Washington County officials are working to track down the driver of the truck.
