Photos by Ted Drier
Story by Mike Morgan
Hernando County Fire Rescue responded to a report of a truck overturned on US 98 at Citrus Way in the rural area of Hernando County two miles south of the Citrus County line. Shortly before 4:00 p.m. Engine 13 reported on the scene with a large tanker overturned containing unknown material. Lieutenant 13 quickly assessed the situation and determined a fully loaded gasoline tanker had rolled over while attempting a turn, no other vehicles were involved.
D/C 10 established Command and requested ARFF 14 from the department's airport station. Rescue 24 treated the minor injuries on the driver who had escaped the totaled cab on his own. The driver was transported to a local hospital. Several homes in the area were evacuated.
Further sizeup discovered that one compartment had been damaged and was leaking. Second in Engine 11 pulled hand lines for exposure protection while Command requested additional tankers for water supply. Department Director Chief Mike Nickerson arrived and assumed command. Operations Chief Danny Roberts was assigned Operations Sector.
The Hazardous Material Unit from Citrus County was requested and assigned tasks of monitoring and stopping the leak. Members of the Haz Mat team were successful in stopping the flow of gasoline. A precautionary blanket of foam was applied from the ARFF unit. Monitoring indicated this was successful in limiting the explosive limit area from the fuel leak.
US98 was closed twelve hours while a contractor off loaded the fuel into another tanker. HCFR committed 2 engines, ARFF 14, R14, R24, Chief10, 11, 12, Citrus County responded with Haz Mat and 2 Tankers, Spring Hill Fire Rescue assisted with REHAB1.
