Bourne Bridge, Rotary Re-Open After Tanker Crash
BOURNE (CBS) — The Bourne Bridge and rotary re-opened Wednesday morning, about 10 hours after a tanker crashed spilling fuel all over the road.
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The tanker was carrying 11,500 gallons of gasoline when it crashed at about 11 p.m. Tuesday, according to State Police.
"When the truck reached the rotary, rather than entering the turn, it continued straight, jumped the curb, and struck the embankment," State Police said in a statement.
"The tractor and the tank it was pulling both turned over onto their right sides, causing the fuel cargo to pour out into the rotary."
"It was going straight towards the rotary, heading towards the middle of the rotary and it didn't stop. It started turning right at the last second and flipped twice," witness Andrew Shea told WBZ-TV's Susie Steimle.
"I was afraid of an explosion right away."
The driver, 47-year-old Thomas Medeiros of Westport, was initially trapped in the cab but was able to escape.
He was taken to Tobey Hospital in Wareham with minor injuries.
There's no word yet on what caused him to lose control of the truck.
"The result of the investigation will determine whether charges are warranted," State Police said in their statement.
The fuel leak was stopped just after 3 a.m. The truck was emptied and towed away about three hours later. The rotary re-opened around 9 a.m.
Late morning analysis from the Bourne Fire Department shows 6,000 gallons of gasoline were recovered, while 5,000 leaked into the ground and the Cape Cod Canal.
"Gasoline forms a very thin layer on the water and with the sun today that thin layer will evaporate, so we're not looking at a long term pollution problem," said David Ladd of the Massachusetts Department of Fire Services.
The Department of Environmental Protection will remain on scene all day Wednesday monitoring the spill.
It could take months to determine the scope of the environmental impact the gasoline had on the ground.
State Police said the cab of the truck is owned by TBM Trucking of Westport. The tank is owned by DJ Cronin Inc. of Seekonk.
WBZ-TV's Susie Steimle contributed to this report. You can follow her on Twitter @SusieWBZ.
WBZ NewsRadio 1030's Karen Twomey reports
