Semi Truck Accident; Tanker Rolls Over Spills Acid on Louisiana Hwy
February 17th, 2010 | 
Author: DONALDSONVILLE, LA – A tanker truck rolled over on a Louisiana highway, spilling its load of sulfuric acid. The truck accident happened Sunday morning on LA State Highway 3127 near the town of Donaldsonville. The accident area is in the far south east section of the state, 40 miles southeast of Baton Rouge, LA and 67 miles northwest of New Orleans, LA.
The 18 wheeler tanker truck was filled with approximately 4000 gallons of sulfuric acid.
Shortly before 8:00 a.m. on Sunday, 37 year-old truck driver Phillip Vallare of LaPlace, LA was driving a tanker truck west on LA State Highway 3127. The 18 wheeler tanker truck was filled with approximately 4000 gallons of sulfuric acid.
As Mr. Vallere approached the area near Donaldsonville, he failed to stop at a posted stop sign at the intersection of LA-3127 and LA-70. After driving through the stop sign, the truck driver lost control of his tanker truck.
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The tanker truck veered to the left and then reportedly began to spin on the highway before crashing into a utility pole. The truck then rolled over into a ditch by the side of the highway. The impact of the truck accident apparently punctured the tank, as sulfuric acid began to leak out of the tanker truck. The truck driver reportedly suffered only minor injuries in the truck accident. He was transported to a local hospital, treated and released.
LA. State Police responded to the scene of the truck accident as did a Hazardous Materials Unit from the Ascension Parish Sheriff’s Office.Sulfuric acid is a dangerous and corrosive chemical and the State Police had to shut down the area around the truck accident. The HazMat team worked to clean up the spilled acid from the highway and surrounding area. They also brought in another tanker truck so that they could transfer the acid remaining in the disabled 18 wheeler.
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The HazMat crews were still working as of Sunday evening, and expected to continue until Monday morning. State Police said that the affected stretch of LA-3127 and LA-70 would remain closed until the clean-up work was complete and the highways were once again safe for travel. The chemical spill was contained and the authorities did not evacuate the area residents.
As of Monday morning the LA State Police had reopened both directions of LA-3127 and one westbound lane of LA-70. Some HazMat crews remained at the truck accident scene Monday, and local troopers are diverting traffic in the area.
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Truck accident investigators believe that the weather may have been a factor in the truck accident, as there was a dense fog at the time which may have caused the driver to miss the stop sign and lose control of the tanker truck.
The truck driver was the only one injured in the truck accident. He was charged with Careless Operation of the Vehicle, and Failure to Obey a Stop Sign.
The truck accident investigation remains open.
For more information about Louisiana trucking laws, truck injury causes and victims rights, contact an experienced Louisiana truck accident lawyer. For a free initial consultation, contact a nationwide truck accident attorney for the best advise possible.
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