Diesel Fuel Tanker Fire near Penna.

Diesel fuel tanker truck fire shuts down I-79 near Star City Exit

From an Article of the Morgantown Dominion Post, May 9, 2015

Morgantown, WV — A tanker-truck fire Friday afternoon, May 8, on Interstate 79 sent the vehicle’s driver to the hospital with serious burns — and put up a column of roiling, black smoke that could be seen miles away. Authorities said the 26-year-old man, whose name was not released, was flown by HealthNet helicopter to a Pittsburgh hospital for his injuries.

According to initial reports, he was found sprawled in a ditch about 200 yards from his ruined truck. Star City Volunteer Fire Chief Kris Osecky didn’t know about that, though. “Honestly, I’m not sure if he got out himself or if somebody pulled him out,” the chief said. What he did know was his fire crew and the other companies from  Cassville, Westover and Granville that responded had a blaze that could have turned into even more of a calamity.

The truck, which was traveling south into West Virginia, came to rest in the median strip about a mile before Star City Exit 155. Passing motorists made their first calls to MECCA 911, Monongalia County’s emergency dispatch center, at about 2:10 PM. Fire trucks and ambulances had to thread through stalled traffic that snarled both the northbound and southbound lanes of the highway.

For whatever reason, Osecky said, the truck became engulfed. As the flames shot up, the 4,000 gallons of diesel fuel the truck was carrying began pouring into the median and over a nearby embankment. The charred metal was right next to a storm drain in the median.

After he found out the driver was in the air and on his way to the hospital, and after he saw that the flames were being contained, Osecky said he started paying attention to the spilled fuel soaking into the ground near that drain.

Hazardous material crews from Monongalia County and the West Virginia State Police were also on the scene, along with inspectors from the state Department of Environmental Protection (WV-DEP). One DEP inspector was in a boat on the nearby Monongahela River, checking for any fuel runoff into that body of water and any other neighboring streams.

Coen Oil, the Washington PA energy company that owns the truck and employs the driver who was hurt, was also sending its own crews for cleanup. Firefighters were at the scene until 8:30 p.m.

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Oil Spills into Scott’s Run Creek After I-79 Tanker Truck Accident

From an Article by Megan Hudock, WBOY News 12, May 8, 2015

A tanker truck overturned on Interstate 79 on Friday afternoon, backing up traffic for several hours near mile marker 156. After the truck overturned, there were some concerned residents in Osage. Some oil leaked into the Scott’s Run Creek.

“The smell came first, then Charlie, my next door neighbor, came over and got me and said come down here and I want you to look at the Creek. I walked down to his place behind his house and Jesus Criminy, it’s a mess,” said Larry Taylor, Osage Resident.

Residents along the creek are concerned for their health. As soon as the Osage area is entered, fumes from the spill can immediately be detected. There are also several patches of oil through the stream.

“It’s affecting my lungs, it’s affecting it real bad, and I can feel it too, I can feel my chest tightening up,” said Taylor. The residents feel that they are being ignored out in Osage. Their hope is to have the creek water cleaned up before it affects the wildlife in there.

“It’s like we’ve just been lost up here, no one wants to help us. It’s been like this for years. Everytime we ask the county commissioners for help they always give us the run around or something,” said Taylor.

The residents live just yards from the creek and are constantly breathing in the fumes. Some are evacuating while others are deciding to stay. “I’m going to stay here at home tonight, I’m going to take my chances here tonight. Nobody ever officially came out and said what we smell, don’t know if it was something dangerous or it could have just been some pancake syrup or something,” said Willy Campbell, Osage Resident.

“I just hope they get down here and help us,” said Charles Coulter.

P. S. See a video of the crash scene and fire here.