Vancouver tanker spill
A tanker truck incident early this morning resulted in some 3,300 gallons of fuel spilled.
Summary information
Vancouver, WA
Tanker truck on its side.
Status updates
December 18, 2013
Crews are removing contaminated soil from the ditch along NE 18th Street today.
The road will not be closed. However, flaggers will be present so people may experience some delays.
December 13, 2013
Some 3,300 gallons of fuel spilled after a tanker truck incident early this morning at NE 18th St in Vancouver. No injuries were reported.
Gasoline, a highly flammable liquid, may be explosive under certain circumstances and is toxic to the aquatic environment. Based on preliminary assessment, the immediate concerns for public safety and residents were reduced when it became evident that most of the spilled gasoline soaked into soils and gravels near the incident site. Environmental impacts appear to be to soil, gravel, and groundwater in the Mission Hill stormwater system.
Gasoline entered a ditchline and flowed to the Mission Hill apartment complex stormwater infiltration system.
Ecology, Vancouver Fire Department, and City of Vancouver Public Works responded. The trucking company contracted with National Response Corporation Environmental Services (NRCES) and removed 700 gallons of a gasoline/water mixture from one stormwater catch basin. The apartment complex did not need to be evacuated.
One truck compartment ruptured during the incident and the other remained intact. NRCES is preparing to remove fuel from the second compartment of the tanker truck. Thirty-three hundred gallons remain on board.
Next steps include up-righting and removing the tanker truck. Following that, stormwater cleanup system will begin.
NE 18th Street has been cleaned and reopened after the tanker-truck was “stung” to remove fuel in its second compartment, righted, and removed.
Response crews are now focusing on cleaning the Mission Hill stormwater system and removing contaminated soil from the ditch leading to the system.
Updates on twitter #Fri13spill
The Mission Hill stormwater system has been pumped and cleaned out.
Response operations are winding down for the day. Work to remove contaminated soil in the affected ditch will occur next week. First, responders must locate underground utilities including phone, power and water lines.
Ecology will continue to monitor the affected area over the weekend.