Local News

Tanker truck rollover crash in Bedford causes dozens of gallons of heating oil to spill

The truck hit a utility pole, causing live wires to create a hazard on the road.

A tanker truck crashed in Bedford Tuesday causing an oil spill. Photo courtesy of the Bedford Police Department

By Susannah Sudborough

1 minute to read

A tanker trunk carrying heating oil crashed and rolled over in Bedford Tuesday morning, causing a heating oil spill, police said.

Bedford police were called to the area of 170 Hartwell Road around 9:15 a.m. for a report of a car crash involving a tanker truck.

At the scene, police said they found a tanker truck owned by Bursaw Heating & Oil of Acton that had struck a utility pole and rolled onto its side. At the time, the truck was carrying about 2,000 gallons of home heating oil.

Because a utility pole had been knocked over in the crash, live wires fell into the road, creating a hazard. As a result, power was cut to the surrounding area.

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Bedford Fire and EMS evaluated the truck’s driver, but he declined to be taken to a hospital.

The Bedford Fire Department and District 6 HAZMAT Team, as well as officials from the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection, responded to the scene to address the oil leaking out of the truck.

“A quick response from Bedford Fire Department crews enabled us to contain the fuel oil spill to just 50 to 100 gallons out of approximately 2,000 gallons being transported in the truck,” Fire Chief David Grunes said in a news release. “I am thankful we were able to limit any environmental damage from this incident.”

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The Boston Green Company is also on scene to assist cleanup efforts.

Drivers are encouraged to avoid the area of Hartwell Road on Tuesday because police expect the road to remain closed throughout the night.

Residents can monitor the Bedford Police Department Twitter page for updates on when the road will reopen.

The cause of the crash remains under investigation.

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