UPDATE: Northbound Lanes Of I-680 Reopened; Evacuation Order Lifted In Gasoline Tanker Crash
FREMONT (CBS SF) -- A crash involving an overturned gasoline tanker truck shut down all northbound lanes of I-680 in Fremont for several hours Friday, dumping thousands of gallons of diesel fuel into a storm drain and retention pond, forcing the evacuation of dozens of homes near the crash site.
The California Highway Patrol said the crash happened at about 4:50 a.m. between Durham Road/Automall Parkway and S. Grimmer Blvd.
CHP Officer Tyler Hahn said that before overturning, the truck had been involved in a collision with Toyota RAV4 that spun out and stalled.
Arriving CHP officers immediately called in the Fremont Fire Department and a multiple-agency hazardous materials response was ordered. Approximately 7,900 gallons of gasoline leaked from the fuel truck.
In Progress: Fremont and @AlamedaCoFire Firefighters are assisting with the offloading of fuel from the overturned trailer to the recovery trailer. @Fremont_CA @FremontPD @CHPDublin @CaltransD4 pic.twitter.com/7XdBkBNBiP
— Fremont Fire Department (@FremontFire) December 24, 2021
For hours crews labored at the scene as the northbound lanes of the major East Bay freeway remained shut down. By 3:30 p.m., two of the three northbound lanes had been reopened and the local residents who were forced to evacuate were allowed to return home.
About 100 homes located along the I-680 south sound wall had been evacuated by police because of the smell of gasoline, the fire department said. The Public Works Corps Yard was offered as a temporary evacuation shelter for residents.
The third lane was finally reopened at 7:50 p.m. - 14 hours and 24 minutes after the crash.
It was not immediately known if there were injuries or what caused the crash.