Columbus (IN) Firefighters Respond to Fuel Spill

By Mike Wilson

At approximately 4:38 p.m. on Tuesday, Columbus (IN) firefighters were called to the scene of a large fuel spill near the 3100 block of N. National Road. Firefighters were alerted of the incident after a Columbus Regional Health Ambulance happened upon the scene and radioed the location to dispatchers with the Bartholomew County Emergency Operations Center. Ambulance personnel reported that a 50-gallon semi saddle fuel tank was in the roadway. As firefighters responded to the call, ambulance personnel reported that an unknown amount of diesel fuel was leaking into a nearby storm drain. In an effort to reduce the amount of fuel entering the storm drain, Columbus Regional Health EMS employees used towels from their ambulance to form a dam. In doing so, the fuel spilling into the storm drain was reduced.

Firefighters arrived on the scene to find a significant amount of diesel fuel on both northbound lanes of N. National Road near Hawthorne Dr. Also located at the scene was a 50 gallon Semi fuel tank with approximately 30 gallons of fuel remaining in the tank.

A Columbus resident told investigators that he was traveling northbound on N. National Road when he became parallel with a semi tractor and trailer traveling in the same direction. The resident stated that as the semi proceeded past him he witnessed a fuel tank disconnect from the vehicle and skid down the roadway, and that the tank temporarily became airborne as it spun into his lane. He told investigators that as he attempted to stop his vehicle he made contact with the tank as it struck the front bumper of his pickup truck. At that point, both his vehicle and the fuel tank came to a rest. The resident was unable to identify the semi markings, only that the cab was blue; he was not injured during the incident.

As firefighters developed a size-up of the incident, additional Columbus Fire Department units were called to assist. As additional responders made their way to the scene, firefighters at the scene applied absorbent material to the diesel fuel left in the roadway, including the area around the storm drain. A trail of diesel fuel was visible approximately 150 feet south of where the tank came to rest. The fuel tank, and spill, remained in the northbound lanes. Firefighters applied more than 13-cubic feet of absorbent material to the roadway. The Columbus Fire Department’s Hazardous Materials response unit, Hazmat 1, arrived on the scene and began to assist with the containment of the spill. To gain visual access to the storm drain and assess the amount of fuel that may have entered, crews removed the drain cover. Upon removing the cover, firefighters found an undetermined amount of fuel within the drain. Additional absorbent material was applied to the drain by firefighters. Located a few feet from the storm drain, firefighters removed a manhole cover and discovered additional diesel fuel mixed with water. Seeing this, firefighters used five oil absorbent booms to aid in the containment and clean up. Oil absorbent booms are a mesh covered sock filled with highly absorbent polypropylene. The boom will float on water and absorbs hydrocarbons such as oil, gasoline, and diesel fuel. Water is not absorbed into the boom. Firefighters tied the boom socks together to form a ring. Then the absorbent booms were lowered into the manhole by using a long fiberglass pole typically used for structural firefighting. The pike pole allowed the firefighters the ability to manipulate the absorbent booms without entering the manhole. Firefighters allowed the booms to absorb the diesel fuel for approximately 30 minutes before removing them from the manhole.

Incident commander Captain Dave Foster estimated that the 50-gallon fuel tank had approximately 30 gallons of fuel still remaining within the tank as firefighters worked at the scene. The tank, along with the remaining fuel, was collected and transported from the scene by 31 Wrecker Service, said Captain Foster. The Columbus Fire Department reported the incident to the Indiana Department of Environmental Management (IDEM). IDEM representatives responded to the scene and inspected the storm drain. After the inspection, the IDEM determined that further clean-up was unnecessary. Captain Foster stated that the IDEM will create a record of the incident. The Semi involved in the incident has not been identified. Any information on this vehicle can be forwarded to the Columbus Police Department at (812)376-2600.

Agencies that assisted at the scene include Columbus Regional Health EMS, Columbus City Utilities, Columbus Police Department, 31 Wrecker, Indiana Department of Environmental Management and the Bartholomew County Emergency Operation Center. Fire Department units that responded to the scene included Squad 1, Engine 1, Hazmat 1 and Battalion 1. Columbus Police Department provided traffic assistance at the scene. No injuries were reported.

Mike Wilson is a captain and spokesman for the Columbus (IN) Fire Department.

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