UPDATED: The Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation now says the tanker truck that crashed Tuesday near Anderson spilled about 2,000 gallons of JP-8 aviation fuel along the Parks Highway. The agency initially said the truck spilled No. 1 diesel. Alaska State Troopers report that the driver of the Big State Logistics owned rig was not injured in the rollover near mile 274.
The DEC said in an updated situation report issued Thursday afternoon that the wrecked tractor and tankers were removed from the site at 12:30 p.m. Tuesday.
DEC Spokeswoman Ashley Adamczak with the says one of the tandem tankers the truck was pulling ruptured in the crash and a substantial amount of diesel had leaked onto the ground by the time responders arrived.
“There was standing fuel in the ditch.”
A DEC situation report says about 2 thousand gallons of diesel spilled. Adamczak says pumps were used to suck up as much of the fuel as possible, but the spill site will require excavation.
“It did go directly onto grassy vegetation, directly to the soil, and so we’re planning on doing is making sure that we get that super saturated soil out of there, so that it doesn’t migrate further into the right of way.”
Adamczak says the fuel contaminated soil will be transported to Fairbanks area facilities for remediation. The accident and spill response off the northbound side of the Parks Highway closed one lane of the road yesterday (Tues.).
The cause of the crash is being investigated. A Trooper report says the driver was cited for negligence. ###
Editor's note: This story was revised Thursday with new information from the DEC situation report 2.
