A tanker truck carrying 6,700 gallons of jet fuel rolled into a ditch on U.S. 40 Friday afternoon, springing a leak and triggering a hazmat response from the Colorado Department of Transportation and Colorado State Patrol.
“They did say it’s a small leak, so it’s not like it’s gushing out,” said Gary Cutler, Colorado State Patrol trooper. “But what we do is call out our hazmat team — Moffat County hazmat, and (Colorado State Patrol) hazmat — and see if they can contain it. They’re stating it could take eight to 10 hours from the beginning of the crash to contain it.”
After the rollover occurred at 3:16 p.m., jet fuel began to run under U.S. 40, according to on-site responders, although there have been no reports of the fuel reaching any waterways, Cutler said.
The accident, which occurred when the truck turned too wide, occurred near mile marker 109 near the highway’s junction with U.S. 50. Three CDOT snow plows have been positioned on the road to block drivers from the scene.
Driver Patrick Cluck, 61, of Utah, complained of undisclosed injuries and was taken to a nearby hospital. He will be cited for careless driving, Cutler said.
“Whatever spills, the trucking company will then be responsible to call its own environmental team to come out and fix or replace whatever they need to,” Cutler said.
Any remaining fuel will be transferred to another truck, he added.
