Alaska News

'Significant' fuel spill after trailer loaded with diesel flips

A North Pole-based tractor-trailer hauling diesel from Valdez overturned Tuesday evening on the Richardson Highway, spilling 4,400 gallons of fuel that's now awaiting cleanup.

The accident occurred at Mile 48 of the highway that connects Valdez and Fairbanks.

Steven Russell, an environmental program manager with the Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation, called the spill "significant," though no diesel apparently reached a nearby creek. The crash site is about halfway between Valdez and Glennallen and is threaded with wetlands and streams feeding into the Tiekel River.

The rollover involved a double trailer owned by Alaska Petroleum Distributing Inc.

Driver Lawrence Cook, 65, of North Pole was northbound with a smaller "pup" trailer behind a larger trailer, DEC and Alaska State Troopers said. The smaller trailer was loaded with low-sulfur diesel.

Troopers said Cook drove off the edge of the road, causing the rear tanker to overturn. Conditions were icy and snowy at the time. He was cited for driving too fast for conditions.

Cook's boss, Alaska Petroleum co-owner Jay Johnson, said his driver told him that an oncoming vehicle with bright "moose lights" came partly into his lane as blowing snow made for poor visibility ahead.

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"Larry had to move over so he didn't head-on the guy," Johnson said. "He got the truck and the trailer over but he was hauling doubles and it was that second trailer that got too far over on the side. He had slowed way down but it was too far over and rolled over into the ditch."

The accident occurred at about 6:30 p.m. but wasn't reported to troopers until 3:30 a.m. Wednesday, they said. DEC officials heard about the accident at 2 a.m.and called troopers, Russell said.

Johnson said a few things happened there. For one, there's no cellphone coverage in the area. And the first reports Johnson got Tuesday night described a pinhole leak that was under control. He said he went to bed concerned about the accident but glad it wasn't worse -- then woke up to hear about the scale of the spill and have "all fears realized."

Alaska Petroleum has contracted with Emerald Alaska to conduct emergency response and cleanup, he said.

A DEC representative out of Valdez is on scene and working with the company, Russell said. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is also involved.

"There is a concern that the spill, if not cleaned up appropriately, could threaten the waterways in the summertime or in a thawing period that we have this winter," Russell said. "So it's certainly something we want to address quickly and appropriately."

Zaz Hollander

Zaz Hollander is a veteran journalist based in the Mat-Su and is currently an ADN local news editor and reporter. She covers breaking news, the Mat-Su region, aviation and general assignments. Contact her at zhollander@adn.com.

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