At 6:25 AM on Thursday October 1, 2020 the Mill Creek Fire Company was dispatched to a roll over motor vehicle crash on Kirkwood Highway (rt 2) near Farrand Drive.    Apparatus arrived on the scene within two minutes of the dispatch and found a fuel oil truck on its side with a hole in one of its cargo tanks.   The vehicle has the capacity of carrying 2,500 gallons of fuel and the puncture in the tank was in a compartment that can carry 1,200 gallons of fuel oil   
 

Fuel oil was pouring out of the tank onto the highway and migrating to the storm water drains.   Hazmat units were called in to assist with the fuel discharge.    Hazmat unit from Belvedere Fire Company was called along with assistance from Cranston Heights and Minquas Fire Companies.   The State of Delaware Department of Transportation (DELDOT) was called along with Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control (DNREC).   DNREC brought in a contractor that specializes in large scale spills.

Firefighters, DNREC, DELDOT and the contractor worked quickly to secure the large spill.  Booms in nearby creeks were set up to capture the fuel oil.   Thousands of pounds of oil dry were used.  

Since the truck was on its side, it could not be rolled over until the rest of the fuel oil cargo on the vehicle was removed.   DNREC proceeded with drilling two holes in the other two tanks to siphon the rest of the fuel oil from the overturned truck

At the time of this posting, both lanes of Kirkwood Highway are shut down causing sever traffic congestion from Limestone Road to Duncan Road.   The road is expected to be closed until 12:00 PM as crews secure the scene and clean up and remaining fuel oil.

The Delaware State Police are investigating the cause of the crash.