A two-vehicle collision Thursday afternoon involving an 18-wheeler carrying thousands of gallons of gasoline and a car closed down a one-block area of 22nd Avenue in Meridian.
About a half dozen businesses in the area surrounding the scene were also without power after officials cut off the electricity to minimize the chance of gas leaking from a pipe on the tanker igniting. The amount of leaking gas onto the roadway was described as minimal but was still perceived as a threat by emergency personnel on the scene.
Bunky Partridge, director of the Department of Homeland Security in Meridian, said the tanker was carrying between 5,000 and 6,000 gallons of gasoline.
“The impact of the collision caused a leak in one of the pipes on the tanker,” said Partridge. “We are going to foam down both vehicles and then pull the car from under the tanker.”
No one was injured in the incident, which reportedly occurred at 1 p.m., but the car was wedged tightly underneath the tank. Firemen moved in after a wrecker arrived and covered the car with fire retardant foam.
“We are concerned because the vehicle’s battery is very near where the gas is leaking,” Partridge said.
After one wrecker hooked up to the rear of the tanker, and another had done likewise to the car, the tanker was lifted about a foot off the ground. Four hoses manned by firemen, sprayed foam on both vehicles as the car was slowly pulled from the area.
An investigation into the cause of the crash is underway.
At about 3 p.m., 22nd Avenue was reopened to normal traffic and power to businesses was restored.
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July 26, 2007
Collision involving gas tanker truck closes down 22nd Avenue
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