Gasoline Gushes From Ruptured Tanker Truck In Salem Twp.
SALEM TOWNSHIP (KDKA) -- A tanker truck overturned in Westmoreland County Sunday evening, causing a gasoline spill that emergency crews raced to clean up before it reached a nearby creek.
The accident happened outside the Sunoco Logistics Partners fuel terminal around 5 p.m.
Investigators say the tanker became unhitched when the driver was turning onto Route 66.
A support wheel punctured the tank, spilling 3,500 gallons of gas onto the roadway and into a small creek.
The gas flowed into a catch basin along Route 66 that leads to a tributary of Beaver Run Reservoir.
Investigators say first responders were able to catch the spill just in time.
"They dug two dams with a backhoe and built two containment dams on the creek, and then we had a cleanup company on scene and they are sucking the fuel and the water out of the creek as we speak," said Forbes Road Fire Chief Bob Rosetti.
Join The Conversation On The KDKA Facebook Page
Stay Up To Date, Follow KDKA On Twitter
A stretch of Route 66 from Story Road to Ringertown Road was closed until late Sunday as crews worked to clean up the mess.
The cause of the spill is under investigation. The Department of Environmental Protection is checking the quality of the water in the creek.