2 HAZMAT Workers Exposed in Tanker Crash, Effects on Area May Be Lasting

BRISTOW, Va. — New information is out about last night’s tanker truck that overturned in Bristow. It comes as a portion of Sudley Manor Drive, where the crash happened in front of Braemar Village Plaza, has reopened.

Details from this after-action report from a Prince William fire and rescue detail a harrowing event where two emergency workers were decontaminated after being exposed to fuel, and the need for state officials to be called into investigate any long-term impacts the spill might have on the environment:

– Hazmat team observed an overturned fuel truck with a total capacity of 8,500 gallons of gasoline leaking onto the roadway.

–Firefighters estimated that 7,500 gallons of gasoline was spilled. Hazmat teams were able to recover 1,000 gallons directly from the tanker into a second awaiting tankertruck.  Heavy rain in the area complicated containment of the spill.

–This was a single vehicle accident.  Responding fire department units performed

emergency decontamination of the driver who was treated and transported to a local hospital for non-life threatening injuries.  

–Two Hazmat technicians were exposed in the process of attempting to control the leak; both were decontaminated by the Hazmat team and neither suffered injuries.

–The fuel truck is owned and operated by Hahn Transportation out of New Market, Maryland; they were delivering fuel to the Safeway Station at Braemar Village Plaza.

They have retained Hepaco Environmental to take the lead to mitigate the hazard and minimize the environmental impact.  Hepaco will be assuming responsibilities for all environmental cleanup.

 –Employees and patrons of the shopping plaza were immediately evacuated.

–Residents were advised to shelter in place although a voluntary evacuation was in effect for residents in the surrounding area.

–Residents were restricted from starting their vehicles due to the amount of fuel that was spilled and fumes in the atmosphere; the restriction was later lifted.

–Sudley Manor Drive between Linton Hall Road and Dunbarton Drive was closed as well as access to the Braemar Village Shopping Plaza.  (Reopened about 11 a.m. Friday)

–Cleanup continued throughout the morning and road closures remained in effect until 10:00 a.m. Braemar Village Shopping Plaza has reopened. Prince William County Department of Fire and Rescue performed monitoring and assessed impact to businesses to ensure safety prior to allowing them to reopen.

–Responding units included 25 fire and rescue crews from Prince William County and surrounding districts, over 115 firefighters were involved in stabilizing the incident.

– Additional support was received from the Virginia Department of Emergency Management Regional Hazmat Officer.  There was a partial response from the Northern Virginia Regional Hazmat Team.  The City of Fairfax, Fairfax County and Metropolitan Washington Authority supplied foam trucks.  Foam trucks used approximately 1,000 gallons of foam to suppress gasoline vapors and minimize a chance of a fire.  

–More than 20 County Police Officers assisted with evacuation and traffic control.  Virginia  Department of Transportation and Department of Public Works also responded.

–Virginia Department of Environmental Quality and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency have been notified and are on scene to assess the environmental impact, support cleanup efforts and monitor downstream conditions.  

–Residents are advised that it is anticipated there will be an odor of gasoline in the area downstream on Broad Run to Lake Jackson and possibly the Occoquan Reservoir for an extended period of time. Water and air quality throughout the area will be closely monitored.