Published: October 10, 2007 01:39 pm         

Hazardous Spill

Tanker truck leak causes traffic tieup on U.S. Route 220

MCCOOLE - Allegany County's Hazardous Incident Response Team and other emergency personnel responded to the Crooks Avenue area late Wednesday morning when a tanker was reportedly leaking sulfuric acid from an exterior hose of the rig.

Maryland State Police also responded to the incident that shut down Crooks Avenue, which is the connecting road from U.S. Route 220 to state Route 135.

The chemical leak, which was first reported to the Allegany County 911 Joint Communications Division at 11:16 a.m., prompted McCoole Volunteer Fire Company to the scene along with State Highway Administration personnel. The Maryland Department of the Environment was also notified of the emergency.

Initial reports indicated an external hose was leaking the sulfuric acid and the driver detected the leak but was unable to shut it off. The tanker, carrying 5,000 gallons of sulfuric acid, was reportedly parked on the side of the road at Crooks Avenue when the incident began.

Dick DeVore, Allegany County's chief of emergency management, also responded to the scene. DeVore and other officials were attending a two-day fall Maryland Emergency Management Retreat at the Maryland Emergency Management Agency headquarters at Reisterstown when they left early to respond to the hazardous materials incident.

Shortly before 2 p.m., DeVore reported the leak was a "small spill" and involved a "valve issue."

He said the hazmat volunteers and firefighters were working to contain the leak and a contractor was on the way from the Pittsburgh area to repair the damage.

The tanker's destination was the Upper Potomac River Commission plant in Westernport, where the sulfuric acid would be deposited, if possible, after repairs were made.