Ohio Neighborhood Evacuated after Rollover Tanker Truck Accident
July 2nd, 2010 | 
Author: NEWBURY, OH – At about 1:30 p.m. Saturday afternoon, June 19, 52 year old Anthony Ward of Garfield Heights, Ohio was driving a 2007 Freightliner Columbia pulling a 2003 Heil gas tanker truck north on OH State Route 44 near the township of Newbury. The truck was carrying about 8,500 gallons of gasoline in its tanker. The truck had the logo of Source One Transportation, a gas transport company based in Belle Vernon, Pennsylvania.
Local emergency personnel responded to the scene of the tanker truck accident and worked more than three hours to extricate the driver from his rig.
As the truck driver approached the juncture of SR 44 and Music Street he reportedly lost control of his rig as he attempted to negotiate a curve on the highway. The tanker truck went off balance and then flipped over onto its side. When the semi truck overturned it trapped the truck driver inside of his cab.
Local emergency personnel responded to the scene of the tanker truck accident and worked more than three hours to extricate the driver from his rig. Once he was free, Mr. Ward was transported by medical helicopter to MetroHealth Medical Center in Cleveland. At last report the truck driver was listed in good condition.
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The impact of the rollover truck accident damaged the tanker and about 8,200 gallons of gasoline spilled out onto the roadway, with some of the spilled fuel leaking into nearby Punderson Lake. The Geauga County Haz-Mat team responded to the site of the truck accident and worked to clean up and contain the fuel spill.
The Ohio Environmental Protection Agency and Ohio Department of Natural Resources also sent workers to the site to help with the clean-up and containment effort. Several crews took boats out onto Punderson Lake to clean the fuel from the water.
Shortly after the tanker truck accident occured the fumes from the spilled gasoline became overwhelming and local police and emergency workers began to evacuate the neighborhood around the accident site. According to officials the fumes could be dangerous and impact the health of the residents, especially those with weakened immune systems or those with heart or respiratory illnesses. The residents were allowed to return to their homes by Sunday night.
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Ohio Highway Patrol officers shut down SR 44 from the juncture with SR 87 past Music Street while the cleanup crews worked and law enforcement reconstructed the tanker truck accident. According to officials SR 44 may remain closed for several days.
At this time no charges have been brought against the driver and the truck accident remains under investigation.
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