Published: November 25, 2009 03:52 pm      

Semi spills fuel over U.S. 421

More than 100 sheets of metal and approximately 50 gallons of fuel were spilled onto U.S. 421 and County Road 300 South after a semi attempted to stop at a light Wednesday morning, Nov. 18.

At approximately 8:30 a.m., the unknown driver for T&T Farms out of Winamac, slammed on his brakes after barely missing the vehicle in front of him, said Boone County Sheriff’s deputy Ron Mahoy.

According to the driver, the light turned yellow and the car in front of him decided to stop abruptly, causing him to hit the brakes, Mahoy said.

Mahoy said the load carrying sheets of steel shifted, came loose from the strapping that was securing it and fell on the road. Once the vehicle lost the metal sheets, something ruptured the semi’s gas tank, causing at least 50 gallons of diesel fuel to spill onto the road. As of Wednesday afternoon, police said they weren’t sure what caused the fuel leak.

Zionsville firefighters contained the leak and put spill dry down to absorb the contents so they could sweep it off the road. Mahoy said it took three hours to get the spill cleaned up.

The Indiana Department of Environmental Management was notified but a unit did not respond to the scene. The semi driver was not injured.