South Illinois Avenue remained closed early Friday afternoon, May 26, 2017, after about 100 gallons of diesel fuel spilled onto the road following a crash involving a dump truck and two vehicles at Lafayette Drive/Scarboro Road in south Oak Ridge. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)
Note: This story was updated at 2:40 p.m.
South Illinois Avenue re-opened Friday afternoon after being closed for about six hours to clean up about 100 gallons of diesel fuel that spilled onto the road following a crash involving a dump truck and two vehicles at Lafayette Drive/Scarboro Road in south Oak Ridge.
The fuel was spread out over about 100 yards, or roughly the length of a football field.
The Oak Ridge Public Works Department dumped sand to contain the fuel, which was spread across the five-lane roadway, and city workers and equipment, including from the Oak Ridge Fire Department, helped sweep it up with help from several vehicles, including a sweeper.
An environmental cleanup company was responding to help with the cleanup and dispose of the waste, authorities said.
The crash was reported at about 7:55 a.m. Friday. The Oak Ridge Police Department, which investigated the crash, announced that the road had re-opened at 1:47 p.m.
Authorities said two people had minor injuries from the crash, and they were taken to the hospital. The dump truck driver was not reported to be injured.
The dump truck, which had been headed north on South Illinois Avenue, had a large gash in a fuel tank on the left (passenger) side of the truck.
Gas was also reported to have leaked from the two other vehicles involved in the crash.
The environmental company was expected to put an absorbent down on the road, and emergency responders had blocked a storm drain.
The cause of the crash wasn’t available early Friday afternoon.
More information will be added as it becomes available.
South Illinois Avenue remained closed early Friday afternoon, May 26, 2017, after about 100 gallons of diesel fuel spilled onto the road following a crash involving a dump truck and two vehicles at Lafayette Drive/Scarboro Road in south Oak Ridge. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)
South Illinois Avenue remained closed early Friday afternoon, May 26, 2017, after about 100 gallons of diesel fuel spilled onto the road following a crash involving a dump truck and two vehicles at Lafayette Drive/Scarboro Road in south Oak Ridge. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)
South Illinois Avenue remained closed early Friday afternoon, May 26, 2017, after about 100 gallons of diesel fuel spilled onto the road following a crash involving a dump truck and two vehicles at Lafayette Drive/Scarboro Road in south Oak Ridge. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)
South Illinois Avenue remained closed early Friday afternoon, May 26, 2017, after about 100 gallons of diesel fuel spilled onto the road following a crash involving a dump truck and two vehicles at Lafayette Drive/Scarboro Road in south Oak Ridge. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)
South Illinois Avenue remained closed early Friday afternoon, May 26, 2017, after about 100 gallons of diesel fuel spilled onto the road following a crash involving a dump truck and two vehicles at Lafayette Drive/Scarboro Road in south Oak Ridge. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)
South Illinois Avenue remained closed early Friday afternoon, May 26, 2017, after about 100 gallons of diesel fuel spilled onto the road following a crash involving a dump truck and two vehicles at Lafayette Drive/Scarboro Road in south Oak Ridge. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)
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