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Hasbrouck Heights: Tanker Spill INCIDENT DESCRIPTION: On the afternoon of August 24, 2007, Hasbrouck Heights Police and Fire Department personnel responded to the scene of an incident on Route 17 northbound in their community. Upon arrival at the scene local responders were faced with a gasoline tank trailer collapsed onto the ground on the highway shoulder. The trailer was fully loaded with 8500 gallons of gasoline. Mutual aid support was called in from nearby towns to assist police and fire operations. BC Haz-Mat was also summoned to the scene. Traffic control patterns were quickly established by police agencies and fire personnel deployed manpower and equipment to cover the tanker in case of either product release or fire. SUMMARY OF BCDHS ACTIVITIES: BC Haz-Mat personnel surveyed the accident scene. Damage to the tanker was assessed. Fortunately the tanker shell was found to be intact and overall damage was minimal. No gasoline had been released. Nevertheless, the potential for a tank failure existed and an ensuing product release existed, especially if any attempt was made to raise the tanker off of the ground while it was fully loaded. The situation was reviewed with local responders. It was determined that the gasoline would be transferred to another tank trailer prior to any attempts to recover and tow the damaged trailer. A haz-mat cleanup contractor responded to the scene to stand by to assist should any gasoline be dumped. A gasoline transportation company that possessed an appropriately equipped tractor-trailer rig and personnel knowledgeable in fuel transfer operations was summoned to the scene. While awaiting their arrival BC Haz-Mat personnel took precautionary actions including the diking of nearby storm drains and assisting in the placement of fire department foam trucks for the pending transfer operation. When the needed tractor-trailer and personnel arrived on the scene the plan was again reviewed and then set into motion. Bonding and grounding measures were put into place. BC Haz-Mat personnel, assisted by Lodi Fire Department firefighters, worked with industry personnel to safely transfer the fuel to the new trailer. BC Haz-Mat personnel continued to stand-by on the scene until the trailer was raised off the ground and made ready to be towed.
For more information regarding this incident please contact the duty officer at 201-634-2804 M-F from 8:30-4:30. Please reference BCDHS CASE #2007-8-123.
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