Crime & Safety
Large Fuel Spill on I-95 Clogs Morning Commute
One hundred gallons of fuel on I-95 North had to be soaked up this morning by Connecticut Tank Removal after a tractor-trailer's fuel tank was ruptured and spilled fuel onto a stretch of the highway.
A tractor-trailer spilled about 100 gallons of diesel fuel this morning after its saddle tank was ruptured near exit 29 on I-95 North, according to a Stratford Fire Department official.
Acting Chief Brian Lampart said the truck leaked fuel until coming to a voluntary stop near exit 31 in Stratford at about 5 a.m. There was no fire, no injuries and no other cars involved, he said.
The mess had to be cleaned up by Connecticut Tank Removal (CTR), which did so before 7 a.m., said Lampart. The Bridgeport Fire Department also responded to the scene, he added.
CTR was called to the scene by the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) at about 6:30 a.m., according to Tom Finnucan, CTR operations manager.
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Finnucan said CTR pumped out the remaining fuel in the tank and then applied SpeedyDry absorbent to the roadway. Fuel also had to be pumped out of a nearby catch basin, he added.
Lampart said a piece of the truck that broke off may be to blame for the ruptured tank. Finnucan also attributed the rupture to a mechanical error. He said a piece of metal shot off and ripped the fuel line.
The CT Post reported that the spill prompted state police and the Department of Transportation to close down the right and center lanes from 6 to 7 a.m.
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