A loaded tractor-trailer flipped onto its side near Stabler’s rock quarry Thursday morning. No injuries were reported and no significant amount of fuel was spilled, though the accident blocked traffic on Veterans Memorial Highway near the Auke Bay ferry terminal for about 90 minutes.
Juneau Police Sgt. David Wrightson says the truck lost traction while heading down a steep road from the quarry to the highway. Wrightson reports the driver tried to steer the sliding truck into the guardrail, but the truck continued over the guardrail and onto the highway. The tractor-trailer combination rolled on its side and dumped its load of rocks across both lanes of traffic.
Bob Mattson with the Department of Environmental Conservation says only about 30 gallons of diesel fuel and lube oil spilled from the truck.
“We were fortunate in that apparently the truck tank hadn’t been filled this morning because they were doing something else with the tank that did that,” Mattson says. “So, it wasn’t a full tank to begin with. That made it even better.”
A sphagnum moss-based material soaked up some of the fuel and an absorbent boom contained some of the run-off from the road.
Mattson says Miller Construction, the contractor and operator of the truck, brought out a street sweeper to vacuum up any oil or diesel fuel.
“Oh yeah, it was great. In fact, it was a good choice of tool,” Mattson says. “So, they could use that for collecting oil on the surface of that snowmelt water initially. Also, the free product that was on the road that they could get.”
Sgt. Wrightson says there was about $2,000 worth of damage to the guardrail and about $6,000 worth of damage to the truck.
