[Update 11:25 p.m.:] ‘Big Rig’ Carrying 44,000 4,400 Gallons of Fuel Overturns, Fuel Leaking onto Roadway

scannerA “big rig” overturned near Big Lagoon a little before 2:15 p.m. today.

According to the scanner, the vehicle is carrying “approximately 44,000 gallons of fuel,” which is now leaking onto the roadway. A hazmat team has been asked to respond to the the scene.

We’ll update this post when we have more information.

Update 2:28 p.m.: The vehicle is carrying diesel fuel. At this point, it’s unclear if there are any injuries, but medical crews are responding to the scene. Additionally, the “highway” has reportedly been closed in the area.

Update 2:34 p.m.: The truck is leaking about three gallons of fuel per minute.

Update 2:45 p.m.: The scanner archives confirm that this accident is on Highway 101. Here is an audio clip of what was said over the scanner:

Audio provided by Broadcastify

Update 2:50 p.m.: The scanner and readers are letting us know that the truck itself is upright. However, the trailer that is carrying fuel is overturned and leaking.

Update 3:02 p.m.:

Update 3:40 p.m.: A reader sent us the following photo and told us there is one-way traffic at the scene of the accident.

Screen Shot 2015-12-12 at 3.36.17 PM

Update 3:55 p.m.: Cal Fire spokesperson Laura Coleman writes:

New Incident: area of big lagoon; CHP, CAL TRANS, CAL FIRE, ARCATA FIRE; TANKER TRUCK CARRYING FUEL OVERTURNED SPILLING APPROXIMATELY 200 GALLONS; ALL notifications made including early warning; fish and game; coast quard; environmental health. Mitigation of this hazard is currently ongoing.

Update 4:50 p.m.:

UPDATE 9 p.m.: Coleman tells us:

[A]pprox 800 gallons released full containment complete! Second truck there offloading the trailer still unknown if product made it to the lagoon. They don’t think it did however the nearby creek has no fuel in it so it’s probably spread out across the surface but did not make it to the actual watershed.

Update 11:25 p.m.:

[Reporter’s Note: Despite what was reported over the scanner, readers are letting us know that 44,000 gallons of fuel is an unrealistic amount of fuel for a truck to be hauling. The truck was likely hauling somewhere around 4,400 gallons. RHBB would like to apologize for any distress we may have caused our readers.]

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23 Comments
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Sasha
Guest
Sasha
8 years ago

Wow, that works out to be 352,000 lbs. Or 176,000 tons?? Seems like a little much and that it would be hard to control while driving.

missed on the math
Guest
missed on the math
8 years ago
Reply to  Sasha

176 tons. And, yes, it is a lot.
Particularly since one of those trucks usually carries around 9000 gallons, or less. Maybe more like 44,000 lbs of fuel is in the truck.

Laurie Jensen
Guest
Laurie Jensen
8 years ago

Oh shoot!!! This is not good, hope he is OK, but that kind of fuel isnt good for the lagoon or the wildlife in the area. Might make the road a little more slippery then it already is, anyone driving in the area should be extra careful

Ww
Guest
Ww
8 years ago

More like 4400 gallons. Was spilling rapidly out of the back trailer.

Rick Curtis
Guest
8 years ago
Reply to  Oliver Cory

fuel is off in gallons by a factor of ten. A very light fuel like 100LL aviation gasoline in a truck and trailer might be 9K gallons while a gasoline full load would be 8K gallons. A heavier fuel like diesel or Jet “A” would be more like 7K gallons fully loaded truck and trailer. At 2:15pm it was mostly a scene being handled by civilians. Thanks for the heads up. Hopefully the hazmat team can stop the leaking and mother nature will take care of the rest.Big Lagoon Weather
Flood Watch from Sun, 4am until Sun, 7pm
2
Observation as of 2:45 pm PST
scattered showers
51°F
Feels Like 45°
Light Rain
WindS 16 mph Humidity87% Dew Point 47°F Pressure30.04 in Visibility6.0 mi UV Index0 out of 10
rain
52°
Rain 80%
SSE 16 mph
TONIGHT
heavy rain
48°
Heavy Rain/Wind 100%
SSW 26 mph
SUN
thunderstorm
48°
Thunderstorms 100%
NNW 13 mph

Ww
Guest
Ww
8 years ago
Reply to  Oliver Cory

I’m sure they did in error.

rick curtis
Guest
8 years ago
Reply to  Oliver Cory

maybe they meant hundred, as in 44 hundred gallons. who was that talking on the scanner? as in what agency? just curious as the source is not defined.

Urban Farmer
Guest
Urban Farmer
8 years ago

Pretty sure they meant 4,400 gallons. At 3 gallons a minute it would take 24.5 hours to drain completely. Correct weight would then be 32,956 lbs. Diesel weights 7.49 lbs per gallon. That doesn’t include the weight of the rig towing it or the trailer it was being hauled in.

Watts
Guest
Watts
8 years ago

I went by just after this happened. The rear tank trailer was overturned and upside down and spewing a huge amount of what appeared to be gas or some other fuel into a roadside ditch which drained directly into Big Lagoon.

Urban Farmer
Guest
Urban Farmer
8 years ago
Reply to  Watts

Or perhaps it was in Liters? 44000 liters =
11623.57 us liquid gallons

Mogtx
Guest
8 years ago

You da man urban farmer I don’t think there is s fuel tanker that exist s that can hold 44000 gals it would also be way over weight eve if it was a 18 ft trailer it would hack to bee about 30 ft tall just estimating its dimensions lol just saying

Urban Farmer
Guest
Urban Farmer
8 years ago
Reply to  Mogtx

Not to mention the engine capable of pulling such a behemoth up and down the highway.

Paul
Guest
Paul
8 years ago

In some western states, you will see trucks that have a tank on the truck and pull a long 4 axle trailer behind that. These truck/trailer combinations have the capacity of 11,500 gallons and can weigh as much as 105,000 pounds when fully loaded.

Seamus
Guest
Seamus
8 years ago

Ok,,let’s just all agree it was a bunch. And according to witnesses it dumped almost directly into the lagoon. That sucks.

Watts
Guest
Watts
8 years ago

Based on what I saw I cannot believe that only 200 gallons spilled. Fuel was gushing out at an extremely high rate when I went by , I would estimate hundreds of gallons a minute. The roadside ditch was pouring fuel directly toward a low point where there was doubtless a culvert running to the lagoon.

rick curtis
Guest
8 years ago
Reply to  Oliver Cory

cal roads was not current on this incident, so thanks for keeping us updated about one-way controlled traffic. I should imagine they will have to empty the trailer and then get it upright which could very well lead to further road closures. The solution to this pollution will be the dilution. Cal Trans Road phone line at 1-800-427-7623 has nothing at all on this incident as of 4:30 pm.

Urban Farmer
Guest
Urban Farmer
8 years ago

Was this a Renner petroleum truck?

Anon Forrest
Guest
Anon Forrest
8 years ago

Thanks for the scanner clip! Note for those on satellite: Let it run through once, then replay; the skips disappear. af

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[…] a big rig containing over 4000 gallons of fuel overturned last Saturday, cleanup crews scrambled to keep the mess from seeping into Big […]

Robert
Guest
Robert
8 years ago

A few minutes before I came up on the scene, a speeding tractor-trailor crossed into my lane and almost took me out. He was heading south like a wild man. I mean out of control fast. Did he run the fuel truck into the bank? I hope the fuel truck driver is OK.